A Change in the Wind
by x.BlackMagic.x
Summary: Not everything is always as it seems. We all saw what brought Snape to the side of the light; what if there was something to bring the Malfoys to the same side….
1. When Things Change

**AN/Disclaimer – Thank you for taking the time to read this, it is an Idea I have been toying with for quite some time. It is completely planned out so I know where I am going with this story.**

 ** _AN2 – Hello, Just so everyone knows I have not abandoned this story, I have a full plan of how the story is going to go, I just need to fill the chapters! In the meantime I have noticed some spelling/grammar mistakes so I will be going through the 7 chapters to fix them. Thank you everyone for your continued patience, Chapter 8 will be with you all very soon._**

 **All Characters and Sub Plot to this story belong to Mrs JK Rowling; I only wish I was that cool!**

 **Summary – Not everything is always as it seems. We all saw what brought Snape to the side of the light; what if there was something to bring the Malfoys to the same side….**

 **A Change in the Wind**

 **Chapter One: Prologue Part One: - When Things Change**

Lucius Malfoy never thought his life would change. From a young age he was brought up to believe that he was superior to everyone he met and that he should not allow anyone to belittle him as his status was always above theirs. His Father then introduced him to an older charismatic wizard who made promises of a better world, a world where those of Pure Blood reigned supreme. In his youthful mind this meant ultimate power and the extinction of those he was taught did not deserve to live, those with muggle blood within their veins.

As a recent Hogwarts student, with the ability to use powerful magic and the money to back him; Lucius believed this to be the best opportunity that he had ever been offered. He felt as though nothing could bring him down from the pedestal that his Father had forged for him. He was a rich, young and very powerful Pureblood with a beautiful pureblooded wife who would help him breed and raise the next generation to continue their legacy. He was honoured to receive the Dark Mark from the rising Dark Lord, to become one of a group of wizards who would bring the world to a new order.

That was until he found he was going to be a father.

He had asked his father, when Narcissa had told him that she was with child; what to expect when his child was born. Abraxas had coolly said "As long as the child is a boy then that is all that matters. Bring it up right and you will not have any problems with it in the future."

It had been a little disconcerting to hear his father refer to his future grandchild as an 'it' but he allowed himself to ignore it. As much as he tried to convince himself that he agreed with his Father's advice, he knew in his heart he couldn't turn away his child, no matter what their gender. He would often picture a small girl with golden hair and Narcissa's beautiful blue eyes sitting on his lap as he read to her. Or a boy with his refined cheekbones and grey eyes glinting in excitement as he opened a small broom that they will buy him once he is old enough. Rather than feeling as though doom was upon him with the birth of his child, it excited him. He had heard the other men within the Death Eaters whose wives were expecting a child complaining about the extra expense and the extra care needed to give their wives. Lucius made sure he spent time with Narcissa, taking her to expensive restaurants and day trips to wizarding spas across the country.

When Narcissa reached 12 weeks into her pregnancy, the healers confirmed that not only were they expecting one child but they were expecting another at the same time. He stared at his wife in shock as she gave a knowing smile and patted her rounding stomach.

"There has always been a generation of Black twins. My Great Uncle Alphard was a twin and my Father was a twin. It skipped our generation but it seems to have revealed it's self with our children," she explained gently. Lucius was surprised at how calm Narcissa had remained once learning not only were they going to have one child, but two. There had never been more than one Malfoy child born a generation, he himself had no other brothers or sisters.

His Mother had been ecstatic, she herself had always wanted more than one child but her husband had not allowed her. She wept with joy when Lucius gave her the news that she would have two grandchildren to dote over. His Father, however, had been less than pleased.

"Our family do not need more than one heir Lucius. Having more than one child leaves room for weakness!" he exclaimed during one of their arguments. Arguments had become more of a regular occurrence once the gender of their children was revealed. Narcissa and Laurette had been thrilled when it was revealed that one of the twins was a girl, and he had been more than proud when the other twin was a boy. Another surprise, as there had never been a female Malfoy born in the last 100 years.

"Lucius this is not acceptable! I never allowed your mother to have a female child no matter how much she whined for one! You are becoming soft and weak if you are allowing this farce to continue!" his Father shouted during one of their usual arguments. Lucius had calmly taken his Father's words in the past in regards to his child, but each time was like a knife in his heart. His children were not even born yet and he already felt a deep protection for them, and to hear his own father speak about them in such a manner upset him to the point of anger. He had never spoken an angry word to his Father, he had been taught that if he stepped one toe out of line that he would pay the consequences for it, but enough had been enough.

"What would you have me do Father? I cannot help how Narcissa and I have conceived. One child would have been a blessing to continue the Malfoy name, surely two children is even more of a blessing!" he exclaimed. His Father's face paled in anger and he advanced on his son, hands clenching around the snake headed cane that had been passed from father to son for generations. He lifted it to press harshly against his son's chest threateningly.

"You listen to me boy. There has never been a female Malfoy. Women are beneath us. You cannot bring up a female believing what a Malfoy should believe, she would think herself above other men. She would remain unmarried and a disgrace to the family because of this! You should be teaching that woman a lesson rather than showering her with gifts and attention. I thought she would be a suitable match for you but she has been nothing but trouble, bringing in female and multiple birth genes! I selected your Mother as my wife because she was quiet and blended in at a formal party. Any attitude was soon removed, along with any females she tried to breed for me."

Lucius stared at his Father in shock; processing the information he had been given. His Father had told him to harm his wife for conceiving twins and a female. He then revealed that there was a possibility his mother may have been with child multiple times, but once they found that child was female he took measures to dispose of it.

A sharp swot on his shoulder brought him out of his shock and he scowled at his Father in anger. Abraxas narrowed his eyes at his son's defiance.

"You look at me like that again boy and it will be you learning a lesson in proper respect to your Father. Do you understand me?" he asked sharply.

"I have always looked up to you Father and I have always shown you the proper respect that you commanded. You cannot tell me what to do with my wife or my children that is my right as a husband and a Father. I would ask that although I value your opinion, you do not insult my Wife again. If I believe that you will behave correctly when in the presence of my Children once they are born then I would ask that you treat them like you would any child, with patience and kindness. Times are changing Father, I do not want my Children to fear me when we walk alongside the Dark Lord into our new world, as I do not want to fear you when I walk by your side," he explained calmly.

Abraxas stared at him for a moment before turning on the spot and apparating from their home.

Lucius never heard or spoke to his Father in the last months of Narcissa's pregnancy. His Mother came to their home now and then with gifts for the upcoming parents and pregnancy advice for the soon to be mother. Lucius had not mentioned to his Mother that he knew he had potential siblings that His father had callously disposed of, but it made him value his mother so much more. She always appeared to be a strong woman; to come out from multiple losses with her head held high was a very honourable thing.

"Have you chosen any names for the children yet?" she asked over tea one sunny afternoon in March. Narcissa had about 4 weeks left to go in her pregnancy and she was beginning to feel it. That meant plenty of back rubs and foot rubs from her doting husband and a lot of cooling charms placed around the house. Lucius had taken to wearing his thicker cloak when indoors as the house needed to be that cool for her.

"We are at an impasse really. Lucius wants to remain with Latin names as you and Abraxas chose for him. I however, wanted to choose a constellation or a flower as is traditional in my family," Narcissa explained. Laurette nodded in understanding.

"Do you have any suggestions?" Lucius asked his Mother. She leant forward with a dazzling smile, brightening at the idea of helping to choose the names of her grandchildren. Lucius smiled, happy to see his Mother in such a way.

"When I was pregnant with Lucius, Abraxas wanted me to call him Scorpius, apparently it was the name of his great Grandfather who was in league with Grindlewald before he was imprisoned," she began. Narcissa scrunched her nose at the name, and Lucius laughed at her expression. Laurette laughed in agreement, shaking her head, "I soon told him I didn't think our Son would appreciate a name that resembled that of an insect. I looked back on the family tree and found that the eldest son of the Lady Malfoy who brought the family to England from France was actually Lucius Malfoy I. When I searched for the Latin term Lucius it translated into 'Light'. My child was the light of my life, so I chose it. Abraxas agreed when I showed him the family tree, thus the man you see before you," she explained.

Lucius felt his cheeks burn at his Mother's revelation, he had never been told that story before. Narcissa smiled warmly and took his hand in her own. She then flinched and pressed his hand against an insistent bump on her growing stomach. He smiled when he felt one of his children kick against his hand.

"Active little one isn't he?" she asked him. Lucius lifted his gaze to meet her own with a raised brow.

"How do you know that it's the boy that is so active? It may be our daughter," he told her. Narcissa laughed and looked to Laurette for support.

"Your mother told me that if our son was anything like you were when she was pregnant then I would get little rest," Laurette nodded at her son's questioning glance.

"You would usually wait until I had just settled down to rest, my eyes would be growing heavy then suddenly my stomach would be like a bucking broomstick," she explained.

"You've hardly changed into adulthood. I can rarely keep you still for a moment's peace!" Narcissa finished. Lucius shook his head as the women laughed at his expense, and turned his head back to his persistent child. He rubbed Narcissa's stomach in a soothing manner as though trying to placate his Son.

"Steady now, Little Dragon, let your Mother rest," he whispered. Laurette perked at the nickname that he had given to the active of the two children.

"Little Dragon? You have not yet picked a name but you already have a term of endearment. Who are you and what have you done with my Son?" she asked with a laugh. Lucius rolled his eyes.

"Narcissa and I have struggled to agree on names, I don't like calling them 'it' or 'you' so when I speak to them I use their nicknames," he explained quietly, his cheeks burning again in embarrassment. Laurette's expression changed into one that he couldn't place. There was a small smile set on her lips and her eyes sparkled brightly.

"You speak to them Lucius?" she asked gently. Lucius nodded.

"The Healer explained that at this stage they are able to hear outside noises. With them being so close to Narcissa they will know her as soon as they are born. I wanted them to know my voice as a sign of comfort so they knew who I was," he explained quietly. Laurette and Narcissa shared a knowing look, one that confused Lucius even further.

There was silence for a moment before Laurette spoke quietly.

"Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus," she whispered. Lucius frowned.

"What has Hogwarts School motto has to do with anything?" he asked. She gave him a smile.

"It translates into 'Never Tickle the Sleeping Dragon'. The Latin word for 'Dragon' is Draco," she explained. Lucius and Narcissa shared a look and Lucius felt another bump beneath his hand. He looked at Narcissa stomach in thought.

"Draco. It has a formal yet artistic ring to it, don't you think?" he asked, another bump was felt beneath his hand and he smiled.

"I think he likes it," Narcissa commented, "Draco Malfoy. Draco Regulus Malfoy." She quoted with a sad smile. Laurette frowned in question.

"Regulus?" she asked. Narcissa nodded.

"My younger cousin has not long since passed on. He was performing a secret mission for The Dark Lord and tragically fell," she explained quietly. Lucius remained quiet, choosing not to comment on the choice for his son's middle name. The Dark Lord had privately explained to him why Regulus had died. According to their Master, Regulus had decided to deflect at the last minute and had been caught attempting to flee the country. He didn't have the nerve to tell his wife the truth, she had already been distraught over her favourite cousin's death, to tell her that he was cowardly fleeing from a life he could not keep up with would tarnish her memories of the boy she knew.

Seeing her daughter in law's sorrow Laurette quickly changed the subject.

"And a name for your daughter? What nickname have you chosen for her Lucius?" she asked. Narcissa smirked.

"What other name could he choose? We all know she will have Lucius wrapped around her little finger as soon as she is born. She will become his little princess. What started as a joke soon became a regular nickname for her," she explained. Laurette nodded and laughed at her son's expense.

"I don't think there is a Latin translation for 'Princess' darling. You'll have to start brainstorming." The three laughed again in agreement

It was a dark ridiculously stormy night in April when Narcissa went into labour. He had imagined this moment every night from the moment Narcissa had told him she was with child. At the beginning, his father had explained to him that when he was born he had remained calm and allowed the Healers to do their work with his mother. Although Lucius loathed asking for advice he simply said 'Drink, not only does it calm the nerves but it helps block the sounds of screaming, especially when you're passed out.'

Lucius didn't want to be like his Father. He very rarely spoke to Narcissa's family, but he chose to quietly ask her Father's advice on his actions at the birth of each of his children. The older man had stared at his Son in law silently for a moment as if sizing him up.

Cygnus Black, although known for his ruthless behaviour when using dark magic, was a very quiet and observant wizard. He had only met him the once when he asked for Narcissa's hand in marriage. The dark haired man seemed disinterested, keeping his eyes glued to the book held before him as Lucius attempted to tell the father why he felt he was a suitable wizard for his youngest daughter.

By the time he had managed to form a sentence with a much confidence as possible Cygnus had slowly lowered the book and have him the same measuring look.

"I don't like your Father Malfoy. He's too self-assured of his standing in the Wizarding world and he is too loud of his beliefs. I sense a fall for your Father boy and I'm not too sure if I want my daughter to be a part of a family that has a high chance of falling. I could choose to have her marry in to a quiet respectable Pureblood family that would remain out of the public's eye," he answered. His voice was quiet and calm, but Lucius could sense the authority woven within the quiet tone.

Luckily, Narcissa had come to his aide and happily told her beloved Father that although Lucius' family were quite well known within the Wizarding World she was confident that Lucius would rise above his Father and with her at his side they would take the Malfoy family in a different direction. Fortunately, Cygnus Black could not refuse his darling daughter anything and he soon relented and allowed her to marry.

"I hope you don't expect Narcissa to be left alone during the birth of your children Lucius," the older man's quiet tone brought him out of his thoughts. He shook his head.

"Not at all Sir. I am concerned though that Narcissa may not want me to be there," he explained. Cygnus leant back in his chair, crossing his leg and resting his chin in his hand in thought.

"Why wouldn't she want you to be there? I know, from experience, that watching the birth of your child is a beautiful thing. I am proud to admit that I watched each and every birth of my girls and Druella was more than happy with my support during the most difficult times. No amount of magic can intervene with Nature, remember that Boy," he explained philosophically.

Knowing that his Father in Law was fully involved in the birth of his children helped solidify in Lucius' mind what he was going to do. When Narcissa calmly informed him that her water had broken and she was beginning to feel sharper pains he told her to make her way up to their bedroom and he would fetch the healer.

He made a quick floo call to their family Healer who confirmed that she would be with them momentarily; it was late in the night so he understood she would need to gather her things before arriving. He thought for a moment then called the Black's address into the fireplace. Looking into the drawing room he paused for a moment before he caught the sight of Cygnus' polished boots from his usual chair.

"Mr Black!" he called. There was a rustle of robes and a slight groan of pain but he soon came face to face with Narcissa's father. He allowed a moment to gape, he had never expected for the older man to actually get to his knees to address him.

"I am sorry for the late call sir," he said quietly with respect. Cygnus offered an amused expression, shaking his head.

"For you to be calling us so late in the evening Lucius, it is very obvious that the arrival of your children is imminent. Think nothing of it," he answered. Lucius nodded with a slight smile of embarrassment.

"I believe that Narcissa may appreciate your presence, especially that of her Mother during the birth. She may need all the encouragement we can offer," he explained. For a moment, though it was difficult to tell through the emerald glow of the flames, Lucius thought he caught a glance of approval from the older man. Cygnus nodded.

"Thank you Lucius. I will be sure to collect Druella and we will be there momentarily. Are you happy for us to inform Bellatrix? I know she has been looking forward to the birth of the children," he asked.

Lucius paused, a rejection ready on his lips. Narcissa's older sister was dark haired and extremely beautiful, but very unbalanced. She was a very powerful witch; she had been schooled from home by her Aunt Walburga as she found it difficult to get along with other people.

"She was never my favourite sister. I was very young when she began learning from our Aunt Walburga. I much preferred Andromeda as we were closer in age, but we have not spoken since she married the Muggleborn," Narcissa had explained sadly, "Father wouldn't have minded really and I know Mother didn't mind; They are more open minded when it comes to matters of the heart, but with Aunt Walburga being the head of the family she was disgraced. She cast Andromeda from the family and refused any of us to speak to her. Father is a very honourable man and he believes in following the rules set forth by the Head of the Family."

Since Andromeda had been cast from the family Bellatrix had done everything in her power to bring herself closer to her younger sister. This then introduced her to Abraxas and his friends in the Dark Lord's circle, leading to her quickly becoming engaged and married to Rodolphus Lestrange. When given the opportunity to join the Dark Lord's fold she jumped at the chance, offering her service with great enthusiasm. When he informed Narcissa she had been quietly disappointed and slightly disgusted.

Still, he imagined that Narcissa would still appreciate another female presence at the birth of her children. He gave a short nod to the older man, who nodded in conformation and closed the connection.

He then called out Malfoy Manor's address and called for a house elf to fetch his mother. Closing the floo, he stood and quickly made his way to make sure his wife was as comfortable as possible.

Half an hour after the Healer had arrived there was a knock on their bedroom door. Lucius left Narcissa's side and smiled warmly at his mother's bright eyes and smile of excitement. She breezed past him as he opened the door wider in invitation.

"Narcissa dear how are you?" she asked. Narcissa gave a tired smile, her contractions were about two minutes apart and the Healer had confirmed she was eight centimetres dilated. Lucius watched as his Mother took to his wife's side and bathed her forehead with the same cloth that he had been using to keep her cool.

"I feel anxious really, this already is quite painful. I am not really looking forward to giving birth," she explained quietly. Laurette gave a gentle smile and smoothed the hair back from the younger woman's face.

"You will forget all about it when they are placed into your arms," she whispered.

Lucius watched the moment tenderly; glad that his mother could impart her love onto his wife. The door knocked again and a dark head popped through the open crack. Lucius smiled as Narcissa's mother stepped into the room, taking in her daughter's form with concern. Not wanting to disturb the moment between her daughter and her Mother in Law she addressed him.

"Are we close?" she asked. Lucius nodded and explained what the Healer had last updated them with. Druella nodded and stepped over to the bed, smiling warmly at her daughter who in turn gave her another tired smile.

"Hello Mother," she said with gritted teeth, squeezing her Mother in law's hand as another contraction came.

"Hello darling, Lucius tells me you are doing very well," Druella answered gently, moving to her daughter's other side in comfort. Lucius silently left the room, comfortable to leave his wife for a moment in the care of the two mothers.

His House Elf had escorted Cygnus and Bellatrix into a comfortable guest room a little further down the hall from the master bedroom. He nodded respectfully to Narcissa's father and gave a brief acknowledgement to her sister.

Bellatrix smirked at him.

"So today's the day you prove that you actually do have testicles Malfoy," she stated. Cygnus gave a tut and shook his head.

"Bellatrix do not be so crass. Tonight we welcome new members to our family, please refrain from insulting their father in such a manner," he said sharply. Bellatrix soon became silent, offering her father a scowl at being berated like a child. Cygnus turned his attention back to the expectant father.

"Will your Parents be joining us tonight Lucius?" he asked.

"My Mother is already here and is mothering Narcissa as we speak. My Father will not be attending and will most likely visit once they are born. He does not have much patience for these matters," he explained as best he could, he was ashamed that his Father refused to have anything to do with his Grandchildren because they didn't fit in to the regular way of the Malfoy Family.

Cygnus considered his explanation for a moment, giving him a knowing look before nodding in acceptance.

"Well I certainly don't mind waiting to hear the newborn cries of my Grandchildren," he stated, his dark eyes twinkling. Bellatrix cackled.

"At least these will have proper blood," she said. Both men remained silent at the comment but shared another knowing look. They knew Bellatrix spoke about Andromeda and her young daughter. Lucius read the pain that suddenly came into the older man's eyes and he quickly moved to change the subject.

"I'm sure it won't be too long now. Narcissa has told me she has been feeling uncomfortable for most of the day. I asked her why she didn't tell me sooner and she told me that she didn't want to give me enough time to work myself into a panic," he explained.

Cygnus nodded with a smile, "When Druella went into labour with Bella she told me as soon as she began to feel twinges. It took twenty seven hours to bring her into the world. Let me tell you, there are a lot of thoughts that can go through a man's mind in twenty seven hours!" he exclaimed, "I'm sure after that she told Narcissa to only tell you when she was confident their arrival was imminent," he explained. Lucius nodded in agreement.

Bellatrix stood and brushed off her robes.

"Well gentlemen your jobs are over. I'll make sure to let you know when they arrive," she advised, making her way to the door. Lucius stopped her.

"I would much rather you remain here with your Father Bellatrix. I want to be beside my wife when she gives birth to our children," he told her. She frowned, crossing her arms.

"Your presence in that room would be pointless Lucius. Stay here like a good boy," she stated. Lucius opened his mouth to argue when Cygnus stood.

"Bellatrix," his voice was strong and full of authority, "Sit down and stop acting like a child. This is Lucius' house and as his guest you will show him the proper respect," he commanded. Lucius gave him a nod of thanks and quickly left the room, closing the door on the imminent argument that was bound to erupt between Father and Daughter.

Upon entering the room he found the Healer at the foot of their bed, arranging Narcissa into a comfortable position. Both mothers looked up and smiled excitedly at his arrival.

"You're just in time darling, she's almost ready," Laurette advised.

The healer turned and smiled, gesturing to the bed.

"Your help would be much appreciated Mr Malfoy to keep Mrs Malfoy as comfortable as possible. It would be easier if you could be sat behind her, allowing her to use your weight to bear down when she has to push," she explained. He nodded silently, unable to speak in fear of panic taking over.

He removed his robes and sat directly behind his wife, allowing her to nestle between his legs comfortably. Her head fell back against his shoulder and he could feel the heat radiating from her. He offered her both hands, palms up so she could link her fingers with his own. She breathed heavily through the pain, squeezing his finger tightly within her own. He gritted his teeth to stop himself from crying out in his own pain, instead taking a deep breath to offer quiet words of comfort to her.

"You have been doing so well love," he told her, gifting her with a kiss to the side of her head.

"Ok Mrs Malfoy, you are now fully dilated. On your next contraction I want you to bear down and push as hard as you can," the healer explained calmly, quickly placing a cleansing charm on her hands. Narcissa nodded and took a few deep breaths, wriggling into a position to best help her with that. Soon, her fingers crushed his with a vice like grip as she gave a grunt of exertion. Her eyes snapped shut and her face scrunched in concentration. He continued to offer words of encouragement as she pushed, taking her weight with his own.

She released the held breath and panted, preparing herself for the next contraction.

"You are doing very well darling," Druella told her, placing a hand on her right leg encouragingly. Narcissa shook her head.

"It hurts so much," she whispered. Both older women shared a look and leant closer.

"It will do darling but it will soon be over and it will be soon forgotten. I promise," her mother bent to kiss her daughter's cheek, patting at her leg in preparation.

For ten minutes they followed the same process: Narcissa pushing to bring her baby into the world and the other three offering words of encouragement for her. Soon, the first cries of an infant echoed around the room as the Healer took a small body into her arms. The umbilical cord was clipped and the Healer offered for Lucius to cast the slicing hex to cut it. With trembling fingers Lucius reached for his want and silently cast the hex, cutting the cord. He stared wide eyed at the crying child as it was swaddled within a blanket and handed to Laurette whose eyes were wet with tears. She cradled the infant within her arms and held it in a position so the new parents could look upon their new child.

"It's your Princess," She whispered emotionally. Narcissa gave a cry and lifted a pale hand to shift the blanket from her daughters face. Lucius stared at the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, even though she was still covered in amniotic fluid and her small face was scrunched up in indignant anger he still thought she was utter perfection.

The Healer gave them a moment to gaze upon their new daughter before bringing their attention back to hand; there was still one more child to be born.

With renewed determination to bring their son into the world Narcissa grit her teeth and pushed with her next contraction. Their son, being the smaller of the two children, came in less time than his sister and moments later his cries were soon heard. Lucius helped cut the cord with more confidence, clasping his tired wife's shoulders as she slumped against him. Their son was wrapped into another blanket and handed to his other Grandmother who cooed over the child as the Healer finished up with the new mother and helped deliver the placenta.

Once finished, she and Lucius helped bring Narcissa into a comfortable position in the bed, made sure she was clean and covered. As Narcissa took a moment to regain some energy, the Healer turned her attention to the new-borns, using her wand to take measurements, weights and to make sure they were clean.

Lucius watched in anticipation as the recent Grandmothers shared a look of joy and brought the children over to their parents. Their son was placed gently into Narcissa's waiting arms. Lucius sat on the bed beside her, staring in pride at his small son. Laurette cleared her throat, taking his attention.

She nodded down to the wriggling bundle in her arms with a smile.

"I think someone wants to say hello," she whispered. Lucius stared at her for a moment, wondering how he was going to refrain from hurting the small body in her arms. His mother rolled her eyes.

"Copy my arms; make a cradle with your elbow so she can rest her head. It will come naturally to your darling, I promise," she told him. He took a deep breath and held out his arms, releasing it slowly as he carried the weight of his daughter.

His heart pounded with joy and utter adoration as he gazed upon the now porcelain skin of his little girl. Now that he had the time to study her he noticed that she had bright strands of golden hair drying upon her head. Her small lips were pursed in an angry pout but it did not take away from the beautiful bow shape. He leant back on the headboard, unable to remove his gaze from her beautiful face.

"She's perfect," he whispered, emotion forcing his throat to close and his eyes to water dangerously. He looked over to his son in his wife's arms and saw a similarly shaped nose and even brighter coloured hair. They both quietened down in the arms of their parents, seemingly happy within their protection.

"They're both perfect," Narcissa whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Lucius looked up to find both Grandmothers stood together, watching the new parents with pride. He nodded to the door.

"You may want to tell the waiting Grandfather and Aunt that they can come and meet them, Narcissa needs her rest. They will each need feeding before she sleeps also," he told them.

Druella nodded and quickly left the room, not before bending to give her daughter another kiss on her head. Laurette moved back to Lucius' side, affectionately running her fingers through his loose hair as his gaze returned to his daughter.

"I never thought I would feel this happy; this complete," he said to her quietly. Narcissa rested her head on his shoulder and gave a tired but happy sigh.

"I know, they make us whole," she said quietly. Lucius nodded and gave a content sigh, happily keeping his gaze on his children.

The door to the bedroom opened and Druella stepped back into the room, followed closely by Cygnus and Bellatrix. Narcissa perked up slightly when she found her Father and she smiled at him. He moved to her side of the bed and took her face in her hands, dropping a kiss to her forehead.

"I am very proud of you Narcissa. You have done very well," he said warmly. Lucius' heart burst at the love that Cygnus displayed to his daughter, gently brushing her hair away from her eyes.

"Thank you Father," she whispered. He nodded and reached down so he could see clearly the face of his Grandson.

"His looks very much like his Father already, I imagine he will be blessed with the Malfoy hair," he said nodding to the bright strands on the boys head. Lucius nodded.

"It's something that we have never been able to escape unfortunately," he explained proudly, Cygnus nodded then looked over to his Granddaughter.

"She will certainly break a few hearts when she is older. If you have any sense about you Lucius you will lock her away and never let another man's gaze fall upon her. She is very much like Narcissa was, wouldn't you say Druella?" he asked his wife.

"The same little cherub face, simply beautiful," she said gently. Bellatrix gave her sister a small hug, mindful of the boy in her arms.

"Well done Cissy," she whispered. Narcissa smiled gratefully at her family, resting her head tiredly on her husband's shoulder. Druella stepped forward and offered to take the boy out of his mother's arms, Cygnus stopped her.

"They have not yet picked a name for them Darling," he told her, "allow them a moment to hold them as they do," he explained. Druella nodded and looked at the new parents with expectation. Narcissa have a small laugh.

"This little man has been named for a few months now. His name shall be Draco Regulus Malfoy," she told them. Cygnus gave a nod.

"That is a very grand name for a fine young man. What of your daughter Lucius? What will she be named?" he asked. Lucius looked down at his little girl thoughtfully.

Finally, he looked up with a smile and shared a look with his wife.

"Narcissa and I have discussed this recently, we couldn't decide on what type of name we would choose for our daughter as nothing seemed beautiful enough for her, and we were certainly right. Narcissa then found that not only was the name 'Draco' a Latin translation, but it was also a constellation. We decided to use this as a theme for the both of them, so we researched all constellations that would fit. There was only one really that will be perfect for her. So please allow me to introduce Aurora Laurette Malfoy," he explained.

Aurora and Draco was certainly an intelligent pair of children. Weeks after their birth they were using each other to play off their parents. Lucius had never felt so rushed and so tired. Draco was a very heavy sleeper but woke early full of energy, he commanded attention from his parents during the day to keep him entertained. Aurora was very happy to entertain herself, she was quiet and very reserved, however she was very difficult to put down to sleep for the night. Her bright eyes would watch her Father in what he felt was amusement as he walked backwards and forwards in their room, rocking her up and down to lull her into a slumber.

Laurette and Druella had taken it upon themselves to help the young parents as much as they could. They would often take it in turns to go to the house and offer to watch the children so Lucius and Narcissa could have a little time to themselves.

By the time the twins were nine months old Christmas was right around the corner. Lucius had used as much of his family money to spoil his children with as many wizarding toys that he could find. It greatly amused Narcissa, who had learnt that it wasn't how much she received but it was what she received that made Christmas special. Lucius, who had never had to share or worry about the family's financial situation, found it difficult to learn this prospect.

"I do not want our children to be spoiled Lucius. Soon, they will begin to realise that they should expect this sort of extravagant spending when really it is something that should be earned or rewarded. Please, don't get them anything else," Narcissa has asked him when he came home with a child's life size model of Hogwarts castle.

Their other problem was choosing which family home to visit on Christmas day. Both mothers had asked for their presence at Christmas dinner so they could spend the day with their new Grandchildren. Lucius had been quite diplomatic and had offered for both families to sit around his table for Christmas dinner so they could all be together.

"The Invitation is extended to Abraxas as well Laurette," Narcissa had told her. Lucius and Laurette shared an uncomfortable glance. Lucius had not heard from his Father since before the birth of the twins. He had quietly asked his mother if he had made any comments about his Grandchildren, but Abraxas had remained silent on the matter.

It was a surprise however, when his father appeared through his floo early on Christmas morning once Lucius and Narcissa had made a show of opening their children's presents. Lucius and Abraxas had stared at each other for a moment before Lucius grit his teeth and offered his hand to his father.

"Merry Christmas Father," he said politely. Abraxas stared at the offered hand, his face blank. He then sharply placed his own hand into his sons and gave it a brief shake.

"Thank you for your invitation," he said simply. Lucius felt his stomach drop at his Father's formality but gave a stiff nod in his direction, quickly giving his mother a kiss on the cheek. She wrapped her arms around his back and gave him a squeeze.

"Merry Christmas Darling," she whispered, placing a hand on his cheek with a smile. Tapping it gently she looked over his shoulder and her eyes brightened at the sight of her grandchildren, "Oh Lucius, you've spoiled them. They aren't even a year old yet and already they have a room full of gifts!" she exclaimed, reaching down to give the seated Narcissa a kiss on the cheek. She then picked up the closer child, who happened to be Draco, and bounced him slightly. The small boy smiled toothlessly at his Grandmother and placed his pudgy hands on her face, capturing a lose strand of her blonde hair.

She stepped back to her husband's side, capturing the older man's attention. He stared attentively at the boy whose smile had dropped and eyes widened at the stranger before him. Laurette smiled comfortingly at her Grandson.

"Draco, this is your Grandfather. Abraxas, this is Draco," she introduced gently. Lucius watched as his father eyed up his son silently. He felt his protectiveness rise within him as he watched Draco fidget in his Grandmother's arms, the eyes of the stranger unnerving him. As he was about to step forward to take him away from the older man Abraxas offered a finger to the boy, a slight smile at his lips.

"It is very nice to finally meet you, Master Draco," he said quietly. Draco seemed to contemplate the safety of the finger before him. He looked to his Grandmother who nodded encouragingly before slowly taking the older finger into his hands. Lucius gave a quiet sigh of relief and reached down to pick up his daughter from beside his wife. The small girl automatically buried her face into Lucius' neck and gripped his robes within her hands. Narcissa gave a laugh as she stood, shaking her head as Lucius placed a hand comfortingly on his daughter's head.

Abraxas looked over to his son and his smile dropped. Lucius took a tentative step towards his Father.

"I know you never accepted the fact that we were to have a son and a daughter Father, but Aurora is as much family as Draco and we love her very much. I would be delighted if you would have a part in her life," he explained carefully. Aurora chose this moment to lift her head and turn her piercing blue eyes towards her Grandfather's.

If there was something that had differed between the twins it was their eye colours. When first born both shared eyes the colour of a still ocean. Slowly Draco's eyes darkened and became the silvery grey of his Father's. Aurora's eyes had brightened into a brilliant blue, sharp and clear as crystal. When met they seemed to stare right into your very soul.

Abraxas stared at his Granddaughter in thought, taking in her features. She watched him with interest, her eyes flitting over his face. She looked at her Father in curiosity at the stranger, her small brows furrowing in confusion. Lucius smiled and took another step closer to his Father.

"Aurora, this is your Grandfather," he introduced gently. Abraxas took a moment to question his son.

"She was the younger of the two?" he asked sternly. Lucius nodded immediately, sharing a sharp look with Narcissa as she pursed her lips in agitation. Although he was blatantly lying to his Father he knew it would be easier to tell him that Draco was the elder twin and give him time to become used to his Grandchildren.

Abraxas nodded in satisfaction, "They are fine looking creatures Lucius, then again I expected nothing less from the Malfoy line," he stated arrogantly. Narcissa stepped to her husband's side and took their daughter from his arms, tucking her into her side as she turned and moved silently into the kitchen. Lucius watched her with regret, wishing that his Father hadn't arrived to slowly ruin their Christmas.

The floo chimed again to signal the arrival of the Blacks. Lucius accepted his Mother in Law's kiss to the cheek and warmly shook his Father in Law's hand, both accepted with A 'Merry Christmas'. Druella went straight to her Grandson, taking his smiling face into her hands to offer him a big kiss. Cygnus offered a formal hand to the elder Malfoy, politely offering a 'Merry Christmas' before wandering into the kitchen to find his daughter and beloved Granddaughter.

Cygnus had been with his wife on multiple occasions to visit his Grandchildren. He adored both equally but his Granddaughter held a special place in his heart. He would often sit with her on his knee, cuddled beneath his arm as he read to her, or he would tell her stories of their family's history, elaborating to make them sound much more exciting and adventurous. Narcissa and Druella would laugh at his stories, with Narcissa saying "I'm not sure she understands them Father, she is still only very young." Cygnus would shake his head with a warm smile, his gaze remaining solely on his Granddaughter.

"She is an intelligent child Narcissa. She is listening to the change in my voice and her eyes tell me that she understands as they are reacting to every word I say," he explained.

During the day, the tension between the two older men became more and more obvious. It got to a stage where even the children were beginning to whimper at the awkward feelings that surrounded them. Lucius had created an excellent relationship with his Father in Law, and couldn't help but notice the looks of jealousy that his Father would throw towards the dark haired man every time he and Lucius would get into a discussion.

Later in the afternoon, Bellatrix arrived bearing gifts for her niece and nephew. She gave them both a squeeze and made a show of opening the gifts for them, rattling shiny magical toys that captured their attention almost immediately. She cackled and drew them to her, bouncing them within her arms.

"I never thought I would ever know anything as beautiful at these two," she told them, "He's going to be so handsome and she will be so beautiful; a beautiful heiress to the Malfoy family," she exclaimed. Silence filled the room as the adults stared at the woman in horror.

Lucius watched his father's expression change from one of comfort to one of anger. Narcissa too had read the change of dynamics within the room and quickly swooped to take her children, standing behind her husband to protect them from the upcoming onslaught.

Abraxas stood from his wife's side and scowled darkly at his son.

"Heiress of the Malfoy name? How is this possible when the boy was born first," he asked quietly. Although he seemed calm, Lucius could hear the anger building within his voice.

"Of course she's the Heir, she was the first born, not Draco," Bellatrix explained, not knowing the lies made earlier that morning, "She'll make a good one too, and she will have powerful magic. Once taught to control it I'm sure she will make an excellent Heir," she advised, caution in her tone at the older man's unhappiness.

"This is not acceptable Lucius, The Malfoys have never had a female heir!" he exclaimed. Bellatrix stood in defence.

"There is nothing wrong with a female heir! After all, I am the Heir to the Black family!" she shouted defensively. Abraxas scoffed.

"Yes, because the first two in line weren't worth their weight. One a foolhardy Muggle loving Gryffindor blood traitor and the other dead from his own cowardice! You are only heir by default because the Black Family can't seem to produce strong males!" he sneered at the younger woman.

Cygnus stiffened in anger and raised his ebony wand towards the blonde haired man who responded in kind with his own wand.

"You will not insult my family Malfoy. The Blacks have been around for a long time, much longer then the Malfoys ever were. The gender of a person does not decide how they lead a family, surely you can attain to that! Wasn't it your great great Grandmother who brought your family to these shores when the French Revolution became a little too difficult to handle?" he spat, his knuckles paling under the tightness of his grip around his wand. Lucius watched the interaction in silence, automatically cowering under his Father's anger. Narcissa gripped his arm, struggling under the combined movement of their children. He reached behind him and took Aurora into his arms, rubbing her back soothingly. She buried her face into his neck, rubbing her nose against the collar of his robes. Draco watched with a combination of curiosity and fear, watching the older man warily.

Laurette came to her husband's side, laying a gentle hand on his raised arm.

"Please dear, this is neither the time nor the place for this discussion. It is Christmas after all," she explained quietly. He angrily shoved her hand off his arm, the force of which propelled her slightly and forced her to lose her balance. This then caused her to fall sideways with a cry. Druella quickly stepped forwards to help the older woman back to her feet but Lucius had already caught the pain in her eyes, forcing him towards the infamous Malfoy anger.

"That is enough Father," he spoke with as much power as possible, "This is my home and you are a guest in it. If you cannot speak politely to my other guests then you will be asked to leave," he said formally. Abraxas turned his sneer to his son.

"You disappoint me Lucius. After everything we agreed upon when you were younger; you have defied me in the most grievous of ways. Not only have you lied to me but you do not defend our family honour when it is questioned so blatantly," he snapped.

"Father I have married into the Black Family, they are now as much my family as the Malfoys. I cannot stand by whilst you slander their names. That in its self is a dishonour to our family!" he exclaimed, "I lied because I knew you would not be pleased that Aurora will become the heir to the Malfoy family. We wanted to let your form a bond with her as her Grandfather before explaining to you that she would be heir. Father it is not something that we are not pleased with, with the proper instruction she would be a very powerful heir," he explained. His voice calmed towards the end of his speech, hoping to bring his Father to their ideas. This only proved to make Abraxas angrier.

"You thought that I would bond with her? I only acknowledged her as Draco's sister. I would have wanted nothing to do with her!" he exclaimed. Narcissa gasped.

"How can you say that? How can you look at them and favour one over the other?" she asked quietly. Abraxas smirked.

"Ask your Father how he can pretend that one of his daughters no longer exists. Ask him why when Andromeda begged him to approve of her Marriage to the Mudblood he would not give his blessing. Ask your Mother why when her oldest daughter came to her when she found she was pregnant her mother ignored her and walked away. It's because your nasty sister couldn't keep her mouth shut and went crying to the female head of the family about her sister's love affair with a Mudblood. Walburga then struck her from the family and ordered for her to be ignored by the same family. Your Mother and Father keep to this as they were ordered to follow that rule and will not break it to dishonour their family." He explained.

The Blacks cast a sad glance between the three of them, Bellatrix sneered.

"That is different Malfoy; Andromeda knew the consequences of becoming involved with the Mudblood. I even gave her a chance before I went to Aunt Walburga to reveal her secrets. Aurora cannot help that she was the first born and she cannot help that she is female!" she exclaimed.

"You are right; the child is not at fault. Her parents however, should have taken care of her long before she was allowed to live."

Silence followed his statement. Laurette brought her eye level to the ground in shame and Lucius gave her a look of concern. The Black's shared expressions of shock and horror.

"You mean to tell me that you would have had Narcissa dispose of her child because she was a female?" Druella whispered in shock. Narcissa sneered.

"Something tells me it wouldn't be the first time he's asked for that to be done before," she stated. Laurette visibly flinched, confirming Narcissa's words.

Lucius sighed and brought his daughter closer to his chest, taking comfort from her familiar scent.

"Father, I think you had better leave before you further ruin my children's first Christmas," he told his Father calmly.

"If I leave this house Lucius you will be dead to me. It is only because you are my only heir that I do not strike you from my family and leave you with nothing," Abraxas answered sternly. Lucius, in a moment of bravery, met his father's gaze with his own with renewed determination.

"Then I am dead to you Father. If you cannot accept my family for who they are then I do not want you to be a part of it," he stated. Abraxas gave one more scowl before turning towards the fireplace. As he took a handful of floo powder he turned his head to his wife who had not moved from her position.

"You will come with me. I will not hesitate to strike you from my family if you do not Laurette. A wife is replaceable, a son is not. If you do not want to find yourself with nothing then you better find yourself back in Malfoy Manor, sharpish," he stated. Lucius took a step forward to defend his mother but in a moment of bravery Laurette lifted her arm to stop him.

"If you would rather have a wife by your side that no longer loves you then so be it," she said quietly and firmly. She stepped towards the fireplace.

Before she could step inside, Abraxas stopped her and turned her towards their son.

"Say goodbye Laurette, after all, this is the last time you will see the boy. After today we no longer have a child," he explained to her. Laurette closed her eyes in pain, swallowing against the grief that was beginning to take hold of her.

She looked towards her only son and her Grandchildren and gave a watery smile, feeling a tear slide down her cheek in sorrow.

"I will always love you my darling. Do not make any wrong decisions and keep those two close and safe," she whispered. Lucius, unable to speak due to the closing of his throat simply nodded. Narcissa stepped to her husband's side and gave a nod to her Mother in Law.

"Our children will never forget you Laurette. They will always have two Grandmothers," she said. Laurette felt another tear slip down her cheek. She gave a thankful nod then stepped into the green flames, giving one last glance to her family before being swept away back to Malfoy Manor.

Silence followed the departure of the Malfoys. Narcissa lifted a hand and placed it comfortingly on her husband's arm. Bellatrix sneered at the fireplace, crossing her arms childishly.

"Who does he think he is saying that women had no place at the head of a family? Aunt Walburga certainly never had a problem and I know I certainly won't," she said obnoxiously. Narcissa glared at her older sister.

"Do you really think that is the first thing on our minds at the moment? As always Bellatrix you get us in trouble with your big mouth, just like you got Andromeda in trouble!" she exclaimed. Bellatrix stood with a scowl.

"I can't believe you all lied to him like you are ashamed that Aurora will be heir to the family!" she exclaimed.

"We kept the truth from him so we could give Laurette enough time with her Grandchildren. Don't you think we knew he would pull her away from her family once he found out the truth? Now she will never be able to see her Grandchildren grow up with her own eyes, because Abraxas will keep her by his side at all times to ensure his promise is kept," Narcissa explained. Bellatrix opened her mouth to argue back when Cygnus stepped to their sides with a scowl.

"Girls please, arguing between ourselves is not going to make this situation better. We will not allow Aurora and Draco to forget their Grandmother and her sacrifice. We will honour her in the best way possible and that will be by keeping her alive in their memories," He turned then to address his younger daughter, "Narcissa, no matter what our intentions we never told Bellatrix what our decision was. She is not at fault for revealing the truth to Abraxas. She has an obligation to be truthful as future head of House Black," he explained. Narcissa glared at her father.

"Just as she had an obligation to tell Aunt Walburga about Andromeda? Don't give me that look Father, I saw your regret when Abraxas brought up the subject of my sister, you couldn't even meet my gaze! She came to you when she wanted the honour for her marriage to the man she loves! She went to mother to discuss her impending pregnancy and both of you turned her away like she was yesterday's news! If we are meant to be a family then we do not show our loyalties towards one another very clearly!" she exclaimed.

Lucius brought his wife to his side, calming her with his presence. She released a harsh breath, turning slightly into his chest with Draco buried into her neck. He sighed and curled his arm around her, rubbing her back in a soothing manner.

"We have all had a very long day, perhaps it will be best to end this day on better terms before something is said that we will regret," he murmured to her. Narcissa nodded and headed silently towards the stairs, deciding to remove herself from the situation lest her anger get the better of her. Druella stepped forward in a motion to stop her but her husband's arm fell across her chest.

"Narcissa," he called, Narcissa stopped but did not turn, he continued, "I regret letting my honour rule the way I treated my daughter. I am ashamed that I could not be the father she needed at the time and I am sure your mother feels the same. Do not think that I am so callous as to not keep an eye on her; she is still my daughter and will always remain that way in my heart. She knows that your mother and I care for her and will be there for her at her greatest need. As we would for all of you," he explained softly.

Narcissa turned slightly to gaze thoughtfully at her Father. She gave him a small smile in recognition at his words, but this soon dropped at her sister's scoff.

"I knew you and Mother couldn't resist staying away from that dirty traitor. She dishonours the family by breeding with a dirty Mudblood but she comes crying back to Mummy and Daddy and the little baby is coddled! She doesn't deserve the love of our family and she certainly doesn't deserve our help!" she exclaimed. Narcissa glared.

"And if it was me? Had I fallen for a Muggleborn and been discarded from the family, would you pretend I did not exist?" she asked quietly. Bellatrix scowled.

"Mudbloods are the dirtiest things to roam this land and if you attached yourself to one then yes, I would not count you as my sister. You, like Andromeda, would be dead to me," she turned to her parents, "You should both be cast from the family for betraying us like this, Aunt Walburga strictly said that she was not to be spoken to-" Cygnus interrupted her.

"Walberga's word isn't law! I'd like to remind you Bellatrix that you are only fashioned heir to the family, Walburga has not yet named you because she is still in mourning for her son. I am still your Father and I do not deserve to be spoken to in such a way!" He yelled, surprising Lucius at the volume. He had never once heard his Father in Law raise his voice to anyone.

Cygnus continued, "Pureblood families are losing family members left, right and centre, because they do not realise what is important in this world. It does not matter what blood is taken through the family, what is important is that a family stands united. Only then do they remain strong. You ask me why I couldn't simply ignore your sister. My heart is too open to her, I love her too dearly to simply let her go and forget she exists!" he exclaimed.

"Aunt Walburga isn't as soft and as weak as you Father, and this is why she runs this family. Your parents knew that you were not worth the blood running through your veins! Once she removes Sirius from the family and I become heir to the House of Black then I will be having words with her about the behaviour of my family. Perhaps you will all find yourselves on your backsides in the cold street because you're all too weak to understand the ruling behind her words!" she screeched. Suddenly, there was a flash of light and Bellatrix found herself thrown against the wall beside the fireplace. The other adults stared in surprise; each of them eyeing the other in suspicion.

It was only when Lucius felt Aurora release a deep breath and allow her head to fall heavily against his shoulder that he suspected the surge of magic had come from his daughter. He felt her skin tremble beneath his fingers as she breathed deeply, as though she was trying to catch her breath. He smirked when Bellatrix stood and gave them looks of accusation. He shifted his daughter in his arms and gave her a brief kiss on her head.

"You did say she would be powerful Bellatrix. She is also very protective of those she loves, please desist in insulting her family any further and please remove yourself from my home. I have asked the same of my father and I will ask the same of you," he explained. Bellatrix sneered and took a handful of the glittery powder. She turned back briefly to address her parents and her sister.

"Is this what you want? Another family member adrift in the world? Do you want to break the Black family apart until there is no one left?!" she exclaimed. Cygnus sighed and shook his head.

"You know this is not what I want Bella. If you insist on acting like you are above our family then perhaps you should not be a part of this family," he said quietly. Bellatrix sneered and threw the floo powder into the grate, lighting the flames a bright green.

"It's funny; there are a lot of family members who have died this night. Lucius is dead to his Father, and now you are dead to me. Be sure to remember Father that when you next see me I will not be familiar with you. You shall not be invited to attend the birth of my first child once Rodolphus and I decide to have one. Once I become the head of the House of Black you better watch your step, because I will be keeping my eye open," she explained darkly.

Narcissa drew her wand and pointed it at her older sister.

"Get out of my house. How dare you threaten our Father like that!" she whispered, her tone biting and sharp. Bellatrix simply smirked and stepped into the emerald flames, disappearing which a whoosh.

* * *

 **Thank you all for taking the time to read my story. As I have said, I have big plans for this so watch this space...**


	2. When Things Fall Apart

**AN – Thank you for the amazing response for the first chapter of 'A change in the winds'. It was very overwhelming! As a special treat (and as it is all ready to go) Here is the second chapter and the second part of the Prologue. I hope you enjoy!**

 **Chapter Two: Prologue Part 2:- When things fall apart**

Narcissa was always more cautious with the children following that Christmas. She would never let them out of her sight, choosing to have her parents visit their home rather than take them from the safety their wards provided. Lucius pined for his Mother, often apparating to the gates of Malfoy Manor to see if he could catch a glimpse of her within its vast grounds. Aurora and Draco could feel the shift within their family, their cautiousness and nervousness causing them to often be agitated and impatient.

A month after Aurora and Draco's first birthday brought about the second visit from Abraxas. He flooed uninvited into his Son's lounge, his wand already drawn. Draco cried in surprise when the older man stepped from the fireplace and he quickly scampered into the kitchen, clutching at his Mother's robes. Narcissa frowned and waved her wand, staring critically at the time it provided. She had been expecting a visit from her Mother and Father, but it was too early to expect them.

Stepping into the lounge she drew her wand and pointed it at her Father in Law, her heart thudding in her chest.

"You have no further business here Abraxas. You made your position very clear at Christmas when you rejected my daughter and my Husband. I am going to ask you very politely to leave my home before I have your forcibly removed," she said quietly with a dangerous tone.

Abraxas merely smirked and sat on the nearest chair crossing his leg over the other, his wand twirled idly in his fingers.

"I wish for an audience with My Son and I shall not be leaving until I receive one," he explained.

"Lucius is not available. He has gotten himself a position on the Hogwarts Board of Governors and is currently at a meeting-" she began. Abraxas interrupted her.

"Now Narcissa, please do not lie to me. I know the Board of Governors do not meet until the end of the school year. I had a seat once myself you see," he told her.

Narcissa scowled and gripped her wand in anger.

"He is not going to speak to you Abraxas. You said he was dead to you, surely you should realise that he is still hurt over that statement. Not to mention that you are keeping him from seeing his mother and she her Grandchildren!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in anger. Draco panicked at his Mother's distress and pulled more adamantly on her robes, moaning to be picked up and acknowledged by his mother. This drew his Grandfather's attention whose gaze softened slightly at the sight of his Grandson.

"He has grown. I am pleased to see that he is taking his own steps at such a young age," he said. Narcissa bent to take her son into her arms. He immediately buried his face into her neck, trying to hide himself from the older man who was more of a stranger to him.

"He does not know you, you are frightening him," she said quietly, placing a hand on her son's golden head to calm him. Abraxas frowned.

"He does not know me because his Mother and Father insisted on having his sister as Heir to the family, something that should have been rightfully his!" he snapped. Draco released a wail in fear, gripping his mother tightly.

Lucius, who had been brewing in the basement at that point, heard the rising argument and his son's cry. He quickly cast a stasis charm over the bubbling potion and marched up the stairs to the main rooms of his home. He drew his wand and pointed it directly at his Father.

"You have no reason to be here Father, after all you no longer have a Son," he stated cruelly. He looked over to Narcissa and his Son and gestured to the stairs, "Take him to the nursery Narcissa, I'm sure the commotion will have woken Aurora," he explained. Narcissa nodded and with one final glance to the older man she moved swiftly up to the second level of their home.

Lucius turned back to his Father as he stood from the chair.

"Why are you here?" he asked quietly, keeping his wand trained on him.

"I have come to offer you a deal, something that will work in all our favours. You know I am high in the Dark Lord's circle, he considers me a close companion. I have told him of the concerns I have for my Family, with a female taking the spot of heir. He does not feel the same way, for some reason he sees power in a woman that I do not. As a gift to me however, he has offered to take the child as his own heir. She would no longer be a Malfoy; she would take the Dark Lord's name and call him Father. Draco can then take the title of Heir and we can finally be a family again," he explained.

Lucius felt his stomach contract in disgust.

"You would have me give my Daughter to another man, just so I can name my Son as my Heir?" he asked quietly in shock. Abraxas have a nod.

"It is either that Lucius, or I take care of the little beast myself," he said. Lucius raised his wand and pointed it at his Father.

"You will not touch a hair on my Daughter's head," he spat, a deep protectiveness rising upon him. He felt rage force his body to shake, his knuckles paling at the tightness of how he held his wand. He had never hated his Father before, never wanted to cast every unforgivable he could think of at him. He felt his magic thrum with excitement in his veins, readying its self to be unleashed against the man who had angered its master. "Why hasn't the Dark Lord asked this of me himself?" he asked.

Abraxas stood fluidly, pointing his own wand at his Son.

"The Dark Lord has more important thinds to deal with besides speaking to the likes of a Death Eater runt. He only converses with his most faithful," Abraxas stated with an arrogant flair. He then frowned deeply, "that is the deal Boy; I will not have the name of my family disgraced by a woman. She will become the Dark Lord's heir or she will no longer be with us. I don't have much time as our Lord expects an answer as soon as possible," he paused for a moment, judging his Sons anger before lowering his wand, "You remember all our plans Lucius? You were ready to marry well and produce a strong male heir for our family, I prepared you for that! I implore you to remember what we planned for the future of our family!" he exclaimed.

Lucius shook his head.

"Don't you love me Father? Don't I mean more to you than blood and name?" he asked quietly.

"I have loved you Lucius, you are my son-"

"Just like Aurora is my daughter! Regardless of her gender she has worked her way into my heart and I cannot simply watch another Man raise her as his own! Could you have watched me call another man 'Father'?" he asked. Abraxas stared at him for a moment in silence. For the first time Lucius could see a battle of opinion on his Father's face. He knew that although in his mind he wanted to keep to the Malfoy name, his heart still held love for his Son and he understood the love his Son felt for his own child.

He released a sigh, shaking his head.

"I have a duty to attend Lucius. I have been a good head of the family; I have kept to my duty..."

"Father..." Lucius tried to interrupt but Abraxas continued.

"...I have raised a strong Pureblood Son as requested by my Father and taught him the ways of the Malfoy Family..."

"Father, please..."

"...I will not be made to feel guilty over my duty as the head of this Family! You will give the girl to the Dark Lord or you will dispose of her! That is your Duty as the heir of this family and you will not disobey me or you will suffer the consequences!" he shouted, drawing his wand and pointing it directly at his son. Lucius sneered and pointed his own wand back at his Father.

"Then I shall not be a Malfoy! I will renounce my name and I shall no longer bring shame to the family. I will not give you my daughter, Abraxas."

It was the first time that he had insulted his father by using his own name. Abraxas gripped his wand, steeling himself before he could cast a curse at his son. He placed his wand back within its cane and strode to the fireplace.

"The Dark Lord has given you until summer's end to make your decision. He will claim her on Samhain night. If you do not wish to see her at his side I suggest you find a way to dispose of her correctly."

With his last words he threw a handful of floo powder into the grate and stepped into the emerald flames, calling out his home.

Lucius stared at the empty fireplace in silence, his wand hung loosely at his side. Narcissa, who had been stood at the top of the stairs listening to their conversation, quickly made her way to his side, wrapping her arms around his waist in fear.

"What are we going to do?" she whispered. Lucius tucked her into his chest and looked over her shoulder to the two pairs of eyes peering through the banister from the top of the stairs. He sighed and placed his cheek on her head.

"I really do not know. I just don't know."

Narcissa had refused to believe that they had no other choice. She contacted her parents who swiftly made their way to her home to discuss the recent events.

"Surely they cannot do this!" she exclaimed. Cygnus sighed and brought his Granddaughter closer to his chest as she slept.

"Abraxas is still head of the family. He can make decisions based on who will take over in his place. Although he cannot denounce her whilst she lives he can offer her to other families as there is another child who can take her place. Once the Dark Lord requests her as his legal heir then he will only need to accept this." He explained.

Narcissa shook her head.

"But surely Lucius has rights as her Father and the current Malfoy heir?" she asked. Cygnus shook his head.

"If Lucius was the head of the family he could refuse the request but as he is only heir his word is not sufficient enough. Had Walburga and I been on better terms I would have spoken to her in regards to naming Aurora as the Black heir but she has shut herself away within Grimauld Place. According to Kreacher she is not willing to see or speak to anyone. Apparently, Bellatrix has not yet been named as heir," he explained.

Narcissa allowed a small feeling of accomplishment for that. She had not spoken to her sister since Christmas; she was still appalled at her sister's behaviour and beliefs.

Thinking of her sister always made her think of the current Black Heir, her cousin Sirius. The boy who had left Grimauld Place at sixteen because his Mother had cast the Cruciatus curse on him. She knew he wouldn't come to her parents after what happened with Andromeda, but she knew they were concerned about him.

"What about asking Sirius?" she asked quietly. Cygnus looked thoughtful but Lucius scoffed.

"He is the last person who would help us darling. He wants nothing to do with his family, he's made that abundantly clear," he explained. Narcissa frowned, she and Sirius always got along when they were children. She knew he would have left school by now; in fact she was sure he would be in his early twenties.

"I am going to write to him; perhaps he can help us and name her Black heir before the end of summer. It may take some convincing but it could work," she said softly. Cygnus nodded in agreement.

Lucius shook his head, "He and Potter know what I am and who I have joined. Once we let them come close to our family we are only asking for trouble," he told her. Narcissa groaned and ran her hands though her hair.

"What are we supposed to do then Lucius? Allow that monster to put his hands on our daughter? Take her life from her? Kill her? Please if you can think of a better idea then be sure to let me know!" she exclaimed. Druella placed a calming hand on her daughter's arm. Narcissa released a breath and stood, taking her children into her arms.

"They are ready to have their afternoon sleep, please excuse me," she said quietly. Lucius sighed and watched her leave the room.

"Black is our only option? He will not listen to reason, he did not have a high opinion of me as a boy and he certainly will not have one of me now I have become a Death Eater," he told his wife's parents. Cygnus clasped his hands together in thought.

"If Sirius is still the same boy that I remember, he will still have some semblance of duty within his blood. He and Narcissa were close in age and they were very similar as children. They have never had any quarrel, if anything he was disappointed in our family for the rejection of Andromeda from the family. Perhaps if Narcissa can reach out to him then he may listen to reason," he explained. Lucius sighed, worry for his child and his own stubbornness battling for domination.

Finally he gave a short nod of his head, "If Narcissa writes to him to test the waters first of all we will see how it goes. I will not allow further danger come to my family and if their Order becomes involved who knows what Dumbledore will do. It will be a great risk..."

"It is either this or you allow your Lord to take ownership of her," Cygnus stated firmly. Lucius stared into the man's blue eyes and have a short nod.

Narcissa laboured over writing the letter for a couple of days. She didn't know how familiar Sirius would want her to be. He was a Gryffindor so naturally he would be suspicious of any letter from someone who was not in his close knit group of friends. The suspicion would only increase with the fact that the letter was not only coming from a Slytherin, but from a member of his own family.

Sirius had been living in his own flat in London when he received the missive. He cast every detection spell upon the neatly folded envelope before he resigned himself to opening it.

He first looked to the curved signature at the bottom of the letter and the name forced him to scowl. He walked over to his fireplace and was about to toss it into the flames but stopped suddenly in thought. Narcissa was his most agreeable family member when they were children, even more so than his younger brother. She was quiet and conservative but she knew how to have fun; that was how he liked to remember her.

Narcissa had never spoken to him once he was sorted into Gryffindor. Her friends would insult him and belittle him but she would say nothing, not against him or in his defence. He detested that she and her family would not take his side, that they remained impartial to his argument with his mother. A part of him didn't blame them, had they argued with Walburga they would have found themselves struck from the family tree. The younger part of him; the part that was without his blood family, yearned for their attention and their understanding. Although James and his Parents had become a good substitute he still did not feel that he belonged.

He sighed and sat in front of the fireplace, leaning back against his chair. He unfolded the letter fully and read.

 _Dear Sirius_

 _I have entrusted this letter with Archimedes, in hopes that he finds your address without being detected. Had I known your address I would certainly have made a personal visit to discuss this sensitive matter._

 _As such, I would like to arrange a meeting with you so we can speak as we used to, like family. I will be sure that my husband will not be present though my Father has asked if he can also see you. I will be honest, I have not been a good cousin to you and for that I am deeply sorry. I should have offered you somewhere to stay when you left Grimauld Place and I do not deserve your forgiveness. My Parents and I have recently realised that Family is more than rules and obligation and it is certainly more important than blood. I loved you once and that should be enough for me to remain loyal to you despite our differences of opinion._

 _I am proud to say that I have met with Andromeda and her daughter. We had lunch and we discussed the problems within our family. I am pleased to find that she is extremely happy in her current position. I regret not being there for her during her marriage and her pregnancy. I know exactly what she was going through and it wasn't always the best experience._

 _If you would like to write first of all, that will be amendable. I would like you to understand that it is not my intention to trick you or to hurt you in any way. I want to make amends and start our relationship again._

 _I look forward to hearing from you,_

 _Your Cousin_

 _Narcissa_

Sirius stewed over the letter for a couple of days before making his mind up. He found it difficult to believe that Narcissa could be so open and honest. He found it difficult to believe that after all this time she would suddenly want to discuss their relationship and their family. He wanted to send a letter back to refuse her meeting, but his curiosity got the better of him. He sat and he wrote back to his cousin, carefully considering his words.

 _Dear Narcissa_

 _I was surprised to receive your letter, after all Mother certainly didn't keep her opinions about her oldest son to herself. When I heard nothing from you your parents I truly thought that you no longer considered me as family._

 _I too have been in touch with Andromeda; I sought her out once I left Grimauld Place. Unfortunately, she was unable to give me a place to stay as she had enough on her hands with her daughter Nymphadora (I don't think she wanted a 16 year old boy around with a proclivity for temper tantrums around a 3 year old child). I am glad you have since made amends with Andromeda, she was truly alone for a long time._

 _I must wonder what has brought this on though Narcissa? You have married into a very dark powerful family, someone who I am against. You know I fight beside Albus Dumbledore; what could be so important that you contact someone your husband will be willing to kill for his Master?_

 _I have thought about this for some time and I have come to the conclusion that as much as I hate my family and its morals, I cannot ignore my loyalty to those I have no quarrel with. I am willing to meet with you and your Father to hear your side of the story, but I do expect my questions to be answered. If you say you are not trying to trick me then I expect honesty and trust from you also._

 _I do not want any of my friends to know that we are meeting, they would not understand. Please send me your address and ensure your Husband is not there and I will arrive tomorrow at 12pm._

 _Don't disappoint me Narcissa._

 _Sirius_

Narcissa had been thrilled to receive her cousin's reply. She immediately wrote her address on a clean sheet of parchment and sent her owl back with the missive. She flooed her Father to confirm the time of the meeting and made sure Lucius would not be home. The latter proved to be difficult.

"Narcissa we do not know what Black has been told by Dumbledore and Potter. Who knows what they will have him to do you or the children! No, I will be here for the meeting so I can at least protect you!" he demanded. Narcissa frowned.

"Lucius, my Father will be here and I'm sure if Sirius was even going to try anything then he can certainly block a couple of spells. Even though Sirius is best friends with James Potter and he is a Gryffindor and sits in Dumbledore's pocket I still believe that there is honour and loyalty within him," she explained.

The following morning she made sure he left the house with the instructions to 'Make sure Severus is still alive, I know he's been tracing the Headmaster and the old man isn't stupid!'.

When Cygnus arrived she was flitting around the kitchen, putting finishing touches to a light lunch. The twins were sat within their protected corner on a colourful mat surrounded by their toys. Cygnus smiled and crouched to greet his Grandchildren. Aurora's blue eyes brightened in recognition and she held her arms up to be lifted into his arms.

"Papa," she spoke clearly, his smile widened further. He was so proud of the two blonde haired children; they had certainly developed quickly with an intelligence that would not be matched once they were older. Both walked confidently and had both started to speak words that were taught to them by their parents.

"Good afternoon Aurora, you look lovely today," he said to her. She smiled and looked at her blue dress, pinching the edge with her tiny fingers.

"Thank you," she said in response. Cygnus laughed and tucked her into his chest in a hug. A tug on his robes brought his attention to his Grandson. His little fact was scrunched into an indignant pout.

"Papa, up!" he stated, lifting his own arms up to be taken into his Grandfather's arms. Cygnus chucked and bent to take his Grandson up beside his sister. He grunted at the extra weight, which was heard by his daughter. Narcissa shook her head and gave a tut. She stepped over and took Draco from his arms.

"Draco you know Papa cannot carry both you and Aurora around anymore. You are both growing a lot now and are becoming too heavy for him," she reprimanded gently. Draco whimpered quietly at being taken away from his Grandfather. Cygnus sighed.

"Narcissa I still have enough strength to carry my Grandchildren together," he told her. Narcissa cast a speculative eye on him.

"You have not been well recently; I do not want to make you feel any worse. Come, put Aurora in her chair their lunch is ready," she told him. Their house elf happily placed a small dish on the table in front of the small chair they had purchased for their children. The chair was like any other dining chair however it was cast with protective spells that would prevent them from falling to the floor. It also boosted them up so they could reach the table freely.

Once both children were sat eating their lunch quietly Narcissa allowed herself a moment to relax. She sat at the table beside her Father in companionable silence, thinking over the meeting that would be taking place. As though he could read her thoughts, Cygnus placed a comforting hand over her own.

"Sirius will understand my dear. He is very much like his Father, he is very diplomatic and he listens before he makes a judgement. I was sad when Orion passed; he was from the more lenient side of the family. Your Grandparents made sure that Walburga understood what was expected of the family," he explained.

Narcissa nodded, taking a deep breath to settle her nerves.

Suddenly, the sound of her fireplace coming to life brought her out of her chair. She cast a worried glance to her father who gave a nod of confidence, before keeping her head high as she made her way to greet her guest.

Upon entering the lounge she had to smile at the boyishness her cousin still possessed. His dark robes still hung off his shoulder and his hair had grown to his chin. He had a goatee in place which made him look slightly older but he still reminded her of the boy she remembered.

"Good afternoon Sirius," she welcomed gently. He straightened his robes and squared his shoulders, offering her a polite nod.

"Hello Narcissa, thank you for your invitation," he stated, he cast his eyes around the neat lounge, "You have a lovely home," he offered, "Not at all what I imagined to find you in,"

Narcissa gave a short laugh.

"No, I suppose it isn't. Lucius' parents asked if we would like to live in the manor with them but I couldn't bring myself to get used to lavishness of the home. I much preferred a smaller family sized home," she explained. Sirius nodded again politely. Narcissa sighed and gestured to the kitchen, "Won't you please join me in the kitchen, My Father is here and he is certainly looking forward to meeting with you again," she told him.

Sirius nodded and followed her into the kitchen.

Cygnus stood when they entered the room, offering his hand to the younger man. Sirius gave a brief, respectful smile as he returned the handshake.

"It is good to see you again lad, and so grown up," Cygnus said warmly, a smile on his lips. Sirius returned the smile.

"It is a shame that we could not have had this meeting a lot sooner Uncle, preferably when my Mother asked me to leave Grimauld Place," he returned. Cygnus sighed and sat again at the table, shaking his head.

"I was honour bound to follow your Mother's wishes. It is only since your brother's untimely death that I have come back into contact with Andromeda. Your Mother chooses to keep herself in Grimauld Place; I have not seen or heard from her in over two years. I am pleased that you have been able to make something of yourself without her influence," he explained. Sirius took the offered seat in thought.

Soon, the two curious children caught his eye and he gaped at them.

"Narcissa, you have children?" he asked quietly. Narcissa smiled a brushed a hand over Draco's head.

"Yes, they are just coming up for eighteen months now," she explained. Sirius nodded with a smile.

"Just a little older than Harry then," he told them. His statement was followed by raised eyebrows. Cygnus spoke first.

"You have a son Sirius?" he asked gently. Sirius shook his head with a laugh.

"No, no, there hasn't been a woman that has been able to tie me down just yet. He may as well be my son though, I love him like one. He is my Godson, he's James' boy," he explained. He looked over the twins in thought, "They'll probably all go to Hogwarts together."

Narcissa felt her stomach drop and she took another deep breath. Any thoughts of her Daughter's unknown future made her sick to her stomach. Sirius seemed to notice her change in demeanour.

"Why have you called this meeting Narcissa? As much as I believe you and your family have changed I still don't think you would have contacted me unless there was a problem," he asked her. Narcissa nodded and gestured to Aurora.

"My daughter is in danger. You know, as well as I, that having a female Heir is not a detriment to a family. Your mother, although sometimes cruel, has never led our family astray. Aurora was the first born; she is the older out of the two. Lucius and I were overjoyed as were my parents and Lucius' mother. Abraxas however was a different matter. He could not comprehend the idea of the Malfoys having a female heir. It came to the point where he was willing to strike Lucius from his family had they had another son to name heir. When he didn't get anywhere with this he recently came back to offer us an ultimatum. We either dispose of our child to enable Draco the position of the Malfoy heir, or we allow for her to be claimed as the Dark Lord's heir," she explained, he voice catching in her throat at the thought of losing her child. Cygnus reached a hand across the table to rest above hers in support.

Sirius watched his older cousin carefully, assessing her facial emotions. Although he did not understand the primal emotions that came with having a child he recognized that with how much he loved his Godson he would be very upset if his young life was threatened. For a man who did not have a good family to set an example he definitely understood his feelings towards the man he considered a brother. James' life had already been thrown into question three times because of Lord Voldemort and each time he fell more and more concerned for his friend.

He glanced at his Cousin's children, both of who were casting identical looks of concern to their mother. The boy was extremely like his father, so much so that he had to stop his lip curling in a sneer. The girl however reminded him so much of her mother, her vibrant blue eyes took his own blue eyes and they watched him with curiosity. He smiled and she offered him a toothless grin. He chuckled, capturing the adult's attention.

He nodded to Aurora with a smile.

"She certainly has a character Narcissa. She has that Black charm about her," he stated. Narcissa smiled lovingly at her daughter. He sighed and approached the subject carefully, "I am sorry about what Malfoy has done to you. I have never liked him, we all know he's been in with Voldemort from the very beginning," he met Narcissa's gaze, "we also thought that his son would be following directly into his Father's footsteps," he said gravely. Narcissa chose not to answer, willing him to continue. Sirius sighed again shaking his head.

"What have you gotten yourself into 'Cissa?" he asked, falling into using her childhood nickname with ease. Narcissa smiled at the endearment and shook her own head.

"Through all his faults, Lucius is a good man. I fell hopelessly in love with him. He has been a good husband and he has provided me with two wonderful children. I couldn't ask anything more of him," she explained with a soft tone. Sirius frowned.

"What about protection? What about safety?" he asked. Narcissa frowned.

"With Lucius' current position he can guarantee protection!" she exclaimed. Sirius scoffed and pointed to her daughter.

"At the cost of your daughter! Had you married a Zabini or a Bulstrode perhaps you could have grown old with your daughter without the threat of a mad man attempting to take her!" he shouted. At the sudden shift in volume the children made their displeasure known. Draco gave a cry and lifted his arms for his Mother to take him into her arms. Aurora's face dropped into a frown of displeasure. Cygnus rested another hand on his daughter's arm, calming her instantly.

"Why don't we all calm down? I'm sure we do not want a repeat of what happened at Christmas," he explained. Sirius frowned.

"What are you talking about?" he asked cautiously, his hand discreetly reaching for his wand. Narcissa smiled.

"You have nothing to worry about Sirius, well at least from my Father and I. Aurora, however, does not like it when her family is insulted. She may appear to be a mindless baby but she is very intelligent. Bellatrix made the mistake of insulting my Mother and Father and threatening them. She used her supposed 'accidental magic' and threw her across the room and into the wall. It was certainly a sight to see," she explained proudly.

Sirius sighed and shook his head, running a hand through his hair.

"I am sorry, I did not mean to insult your family," he said quietly. Narcissa gave a nod, a small smile on her lips.

"There is nothing to forgive Sirius, I'm sure we have given you every reason to doubt us in the past," she explained. Sirius nodded and leant back in the chair thoughtfully.

"Ultimately, you need to make her an heir to another family. There isn't a way to stop Malfoy from allowing another family to claim her; however he does have a say in who does claim her. So for example, if the Potter family were to try and claim her as their heir then he could refuse that claim. I'm sure though, as long as Draco was heir rather than his sister then he wouldn't have any problems with it," he explained. Narcissa frowned.

"I'm not sure. He and Lucius had a very dramatic argument; I do not think he will be accommodating with things like this. What would be ideal is if Lucius was head of the family and he could give that decision then that would make this easier," Narcissa explained quietly. Sirius sighed.

"There's only one way to make Lucius the head of the family," he told her. Narcissa closed her eyes; she already knew how to make Lucius the head of the family. It wasn't the first time she had thought about it either. If her husband's safety could be guaranteed then she wouldn't hesitate, but she knew the Dark Lord held Abraxas high within his regard and would not take his death lightly.

"What are we going to do?" she whispered in a broken voice. Cygnus rested his hand above her own, giving her as much comfort as possible. Sirius watched his cousin for a moment before leaning back in his chair thoughtfully.

"Malfoy said that if you could be rid of her and Draco could be heir to the Malfoy family then there wouldn't be any problems. All we need to do is essentially remove her from the family," he began to explain. Narcissa frowned and began to shake her head, opening her mouth to protest; when her Father's firm grip on her hand stalled her. He gave her a warning look before nodding at Sirius to continue.

Sirius released a held breath, "I don't mean to do what Malfoy suggests! I meant, perhaps it would be better if she was with another family; pretend that she belongs to them. This would only be temporary mind you, just until Voldemort was told very politely to shove off," he explained. Narcissa frowned in thought but was startled by her father's smile and happy expression.

"What a wonderful idea Sirius! If she belongs to another family then she cannot be claimed. Abraxas will be happy that Draco is the heir to the family and we will know that she is safe!" he exclaimed. Narcissa unconsciously chewed on her lip with a worried expression.

"Who can we trust to take on this responsibility? Not to put a downer on the idea but there are only few people that Lucius and I trust. Her safety would have to be guaranteed," she explained. Cygnus gave her a knowing look and leant back in the kitchen chair with a thoughtful expression.

"Who we need is someone in our family. I now would not trust Bellatrix as far as I could throw her; she has been tainted by the Dark Lord just as much as Abraxas and I would not want her to allow Aurora under her tutelage. As much as I hold love for your Mother Sirius she taught my darling Bella everything she knows. Andromeda, although the better choice, is not allowed to have any contact with us. We would not see her as much as I know you and Lucius would like. No, who we need is-"

"Me."

Silence following Sirius' interruption. Narcissa glanced at him cautiously, weighing up the options in her mind. Before she could open her mouth to object Sirius leant forward in determination.

"Hear me out first Narcissa. I would be the last person who Malfoy would expect you would hand your daughter to. After all, I haven't been all too quiet about the family I have abandoned and I am sure in your circles I am thought of as much as hippogriff dung. I may not have the experience but I know James and Lily would be there to help me. She's intelligent enough and I'm sure she will get on fairly well with Harry," he explained. Narcissa still seemed dubious about the idea, he sighed, "We haven't seen eye to eye all the time Narcissa but I would give you my word that I would do anything within my power to keep her safe. I may not be overly loyal to my family but she is my blood and I don't think a part of me will ever let me forget that," he told her.

Narcissa observed him for a moment, chewing on her lip thoughtfully. She was hesitant, of course. As much as she wanted to keep her daughter by her side she knew her Father and her cousin were right. Abraxas would never rest whilst Aurora held the head position between her children. Lucius had already told her that he would not strip her of the title as it would mean disowning her and even she knew that could be detrimental to a child's magic at such a young age. She sighed and covered her face with her hand, the decision looming over her and falling heavy on her shoulders.

"You don't need to make a decision at the moment darling. You still need to discuss this with Lucius," Cygnus told her gently. She nodded and swept her hands over her blonde head.

Sirius stood and gathered his cloak around his shoulders.

"Your owl found me easily Narcissa, I am sure once you have come to a decision and you send him again it will be just the same. I will not change my mind so the offer will always be available," he told her. Narcissa nodded and stood. They stared at each other for a moment before he stepped forward and enveloped her within his arms. She tentatively wrapped her arms around his slim waist, pressing her cheek to his chest. His arms gave her a gentle squeeze before releasing her, his eyes were warm and they sparkled with the same boyishness that she happily remembered.

"Thank you Sirius. I am glad I still have you to call family," she told him gently. Sirius gave a charming smile and shrugged his shoulders to brush off the compliment.

"Of course you are," he said arrogantly. Narcissa scoffed and rolled her eyes at his arrogance, shaking her head in her mirth. Cygnus stood and offered his hand to his nephew.

"If you ever need anything my Boy, do not hesitate to write to me. That offer has been held back for too long," he explained. Sirius gave him a grateful expression and a short nod, silently making his way to the floo.

At the sound of the roaring floo Narcissa gave a sigh of relief. Cygnus smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder, offering her a squeeze of comfort.

"He is on board, that is all we needed," he told her. Narcissa nodded but chewed at her lip in worry.

"Now we need to bring Lucius around to the idea of allowing Sirius to look after his daughter for some time," she whispered, knowing that her husband would be the most difficult to bring around to the idea.

Just as she thought, Lucius was against the idea. He immediately shook his head, crossing his arms adamantly.

"Black could hardly look after himself, how can we expect him to care for our daughter properly?" he asked. Narcissa sighed.

"He has responsibilities now; he has a Godson!" she explained. Lucius scoffed.

"Yes, Saint Potter and that red headed menace's spawn. Do you really think I want my daughter associating with them! Look what she did to Severus! I told him she was trouble and that she would never understand him and look what happened, she broke off any arrangement with him following one disagreement!" he exclaimed. Narcissa frowned.

"Lucius he called her a Mudblood. To us it may seem like a simple 'disagreement' but to her it is an insult. One that you would not expect to hear from the lips of a friend," she explained quietly. Lucius paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts before shaking his head again.

"That argument was still down to Potter's meddling. Black was behind him all the way and I expect still would. I do not want my daughter influenced by a bulling, spoilt toe rag of a boy who will only most likely be offering to do this to get one over on me!" he shouted. Narcissa turned away from him in anger, pursing her lips and clenching her fists. Her fingers twitched to draw her wand and cast every curse she could think that would make her husband see sense.

"What would you have us do Lucius?" she asked in a whisper, attempting to keep her voice level. She was unable to keep the brake out of her tone, forcing her husband to become silent. She turned to him, unable to keep the tears gathering in her eyes at bay.

"Don't you think the last thing I want is to have Aurora stay with another family? Don't you think I want to keep her by my side and in my arms whilst she grows? If I had a choice I would change everything and ensure that not one person knew that she was the older child so we could have lived in peace, but unfortunately our pride would not allow it," she explained. Lucius sighed and ran a hand over his face.

"I will do whatever it takes. We will leave the country if we have to!" he offered. Narcissa shook her head.

"Your Father would find us eventually. He would then either take her away from us or kill her on the spot," she answered. Lucius growled.

"Then I will kill him and we wouldn't have to worry about it," he whispered dangerously. Narcissa scowled.

"How do you imagine that would help? He is in the Dark Lord's favour; once word returned to him that his favourite Death Eater was dead he'd hunt us down and take her anyway! I have already thought of that Lucius!" she exclaimed in anger. He opened his mouth to give a retort but she wouldn't allow it. "You need to listen to me very carefully Lucius before I force you to. I will not allow that man to take our daughter and raise her as his own. He would parade her before us like a prize he had won. He would name her his heir and she would only be taught to rule and to order. I would much rather some foolish Gryffindor who still realizes honour in his family and has my full trust, have my daughter than some evil dictator who would not give one damn about her! I love her too much to allow that to happen and if you loved her you would realize that! We have already allowed our pride to better us and bring us into this situation in the first place; do not allow your pride and arrogance stop you from seeing the full picture and the correct path!" she told him.

Lucius watched her, taking her anger and her fear. He bit his tongue to stop himself from retaliating, allowing himself to carefully consider his words.

"Narcissa, as much as I understand what you are saying I still do not believe that allowing Black to look after her is the best idea. He is close to Dumbledore as well as Potter. We all know that Potter worships the ground that old fool walks upon. Dumbledore does not see the good in everybody, no matter what he decides to preach. He will not accept your cousin taking Aurora and he will punish us through her!" he exclaimed.

Narcissa sighed and shook her head.

"I would much rather her be brainwashed by the Order of the Phoenix than by the Deatheaters," she whispered. Lucius frowned but remained silent. Narcissa gave a nod and moved to the stairs.

"I will contact Sirius and ask him to take her as soon as possible. We can then tell your father she has passed away and Draco is now the heir to the family," she turned to him, her eyes hard, "I do not want this as much as you don't but I do not see any other alternative Lucius. I will not see her in the arms of that monster," she told him. Lucius flinched at her hard tone.

"Perhaps I can speak to the Dark Lord, help him see reason –"

"Don't you think this is what got us into trouble in the first place? You and your loyalties to your Father and to your Lord. That man's influences has done nothing but tarnish our family and put us in jeopardy! He will see it as sport and only demand you bring her sooner! If you go to him with this Lucius not only will you lose your daughter but you will lose your wife and son also! Your mother told you to make the correct decisions and at the moment I haven't seen you make a single one," she spat venomously.

Lucius scowled, "She also told me to keep them both together," he stated. Narcissa sneered.

"That isn't going to happen either way," she said simply. Rounding the corner to the stairs she moved halfway up before leaning over the banister to address him, "we better spend as much time with her as possible. This will be our last week with her Lucius."

Lucius has tried multiple times over the following week to have his wife change her mind. His pleading only increased when he realized that his wife's cousin made sure to visit his home daily in order to get to know his daughter. He would sit, sulking whilst he watched the younger man playing with his children.

He had to admit, seeing the joyous looks on their faces when their 'uncle' walked through the floo was enough to lighten his heart; he then remembered that the man was a foolish Gryffindor that he couldn't trust as far as he could throw him.

He endured Narcissa's happy smiles and ignored her reassurances that everything would be ok.

Instead, when the dark haired man wasn't situated in their lounge, he took his time with his daughter. He would often speak to her or read to her, ensuring that his voice was memorable for. He made sure he held her enough so that he would not forget the scent of her skin or the feeling of her in his arms. His heart clenched when he thought that he would not be able to comfort her at nights when she was unable to settle, he would not be the first she would look for when she eventually woke in the morning. Narcissa had told him that Sirius expected them to visit all the time but he knew it would not be the same.

It was the Friday morning that Sirius came flying through their fireplace, his robes hanging haphazardly on his shoulders and his hair still tangled and knotted. Lucius gave him a look of disgust but this was soon ignored when Sirius found his arms full of blonde toddlers.

He gave a booming laugh and lifted both into his arms, turning in an excited circle causing them both to giggle and squeal uncontrollably. Lucius rolled his eyes when he found his wife stood at the door to the Kitchen, a warm smile upon her face.

"You are certainly excited this morning," she commented to her cousin. Sirius grinned.

"That's because I've been awake all night," he explained. Lucius grimaced and moved to take his children into his arms.

"We do not need to hear about your lewd nights Black and I certainly do not want my children to hear about it!" he addressed his wife, "An excellent role model you have chosen for our daughter darling," he stated to her. Narcissa rolled her eyes and stepped into the room, flicking her wand at her dishevelled cousin.

"Surely a long night does not make one so excited Sirius," she told him. Sirius gave a shrug.

"Just because I've been awake all night doesn't mean I've been sat in silence twiddling my thumbs," he told her. He turned a pointed look to his cousins husband, "Nor does it mean I've been with a lady either. As a matter of fact, I have been researching about naming an heir and all that lark and I think I may have found some interesting information," he explained. Narcissa watched him carefully, her interest caught.

"What have you found?" she asked quietly, hope bubbling within her stomach. Sirius sat on the nearest armchair and settled Aurora on his knee where she happily entertained herself with the buttons of his robes.

"I was thinking about what Malfoy's Father said, that Voldemort would be claiming Aurora on Halloween night," he ignored Lucius' flinch at the use of his Lord's name and continued, "I thought it was pretty strange, Halloween was no different from any other night but then I realized that Voldemort believed in the 'Old Magic'. Halloween is another name for Samhain!" he explained. Lucius scoffed.

"Even I could have told you that Black. We already know the reason the Dark Lord has chosen Samhain to claim her," he stated. Sirius held out a finger to pause him before continuing with a smug smirk.

"The only difference is Malfoy, I know the real reason Voldemort chose Samhain to perform any rituals and claim his own heir. It's because his magic is not pure enough to claim a pureblooded heir," he told them. He was met with two blank faces, to which he sighed and sat back in the chair, "Didn't you know that?" he asked.

Lucius and Narcissa shared a cautious look.

"Sirius, the man is determined to wipe Muggles and Muggleborns off the face of the earth, to 'Make room for the Pureblooded race'. We all expected that his blood was as pure, if not purer than ours," Narcissa explained. Sirius scoffed.

"That is what he leads you to believe but I imagine he never actually told you that he was pureblood. His Father was a muggle and his Mother not far off. His mother was Merope Gaunt; she never attended Hogwarts because she could hardly perform magic. She died when he was born and his Father wanted nothing to do with her or his unborn child," he told them. Lucius frowned.

"How do you know this information?" he asked.

Sirius stared at him with defiance and confidence, "Dumbledore."

Lucius scoffed and shook his head, "You cannot trust one thing that man tells you!" he exclaimed. Sirius looked ready to argue but Narcissa stood between them, holding her hands out to stem the argument.

"This isn't the point. Sirius, please continue to explain," she told him. Sirius offered a glare to the blonde haired man before continuing.

"Voldemort needs the ancient magic's of Samhain to help his family magic accept Aurora as his heir. I was thinking that if a night like Samhain could help a half blood accept a pureblood as his heir then surely another night full of ancient magic could help us bypass Malfoy's word and accept Aurora as my heir," he finished. Narcissa gasped and stared at her cousin, kicking herself in her head for not thinking of that earlier.

"What good is this information now Black? The solstice was in June!" Lucius growled. Narcissa laid a hand on his arm, stilling his tirade.

"The equinox is on the 22nd of September Lucius. We all know there are ancient magic's involved with the Equinox," she whispered. Lucius fell silent in thought.

Sirius sighed and shifted forward in the chair.

"Don't you see what I mean? It gives us a chance. It means that I can claim her as my heir and she can stay with you! You all win!" he exclaimed. Narcissa's grip on Lucius' arm tightened as the hope in her stomach caused bubbles to erupt. She took a deep shuddering breath and released it slowly.

"Do you think it would work?" she asked quietly.

Sirius shrugged,

"Either way we have a plan. We either hide her and tell everyone that she has passed away or I claim her as my heir and she stays with you. The last option may be a little difficult as I'm sure Malfoy wouldn't think twice about making your life hell if he knew you'd managed to bypass his ultimatum," he explained. Lucius nodded.

"I can handle my Father," he told him. Narcissa frowned.

"What about the Dark Lord? He will not be pleased that his heir has been taken from under his nose," she said. Lucius shook his head.

"Black is family, as much as we do not really want to admit it. I can tell him that Black did not want to have his own child so we made an agreement where he could have our child as his heir, it is not the first time that it has happened in the past," he explained. Narcissa smiled and moved to Sirius' side, bending to draw him into her arms.

"Thank you," she whispered. Sirius chuckled and wrapped his spare arm around his cousin's back.

"It is my pleasure. I rather enjoy having family again," he told her, pulling away. He eyed her husband over her shoulder, "Even if she is married to a slime ball," he finished. Narcissa rolled her eyes and slapped him lightly on his arm.

Later that night Narcissa and Lucius gave their daughter one final hug farewell. She watched them in confusion as they allowed their tears to fall at the sorrow of her leaving. Draco watched carefully from the arms of his Grandparents. He gave a disgruntled cry when Aurora was placed into the arms of the dark haired man who would be claiming her as his own. Druella bounced him in her arms but he frowned and raised his arms to his sister.

"It's going to be all right Draco. Aurora will be home very soon," she whispered to him. His grey eyes watered slightly in anger as his face screwed up as he began to make his displeasure known. Sirius quickly moved to his aunt's side to dispose of the situation, allowing the young boy to place his hands on his sister's cloak.

"You can come and visit anytime little man," Sirius said to him. Draco stared at him for a moment before wrapping his fingers in Aurora's cloak. Sirius smiled for a moment before giving his cousin a pointed look.

Narcissa sighed and moved over to untangle her son's hand. He gave another cry of indignation, reaching desperately for his twin. Narcissa swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat and took her son into her arms, cuddling him against her chest. He struggled to turn but she held her arms against his back and his head.

"You better go Sirius," she whispered. Aurora watched her family carefully, her eyes watching her brother cry and struggle in her Mother's arms.

"Dray," she spoke. Draco stopped and turned his head at his sister's word.

"'Rora," he answered. Aurora smiled and leant towards him. Sirius stepped to Narcissa and allowed the small girl to wrap her arms around her brother.

The adults watched the twins give their own goodbyes, each with a lump in their throat. Lucius tried to keep his emotions hidden; but watching his daughter and his son cling to each other was enough to bring tears to his eyes. He hated himself for putting his family in a position where they had to be separated. He wished he could turn back time and stop himself from taking the Dark Mark, from blindly following his Father and believing all the propaganda he had been taught. A tear slid down his cheek as Sirius gently moved Aurora away from her Brother, stepping towards the fireplace.

"Wait-" he found himself saying as Sirius moved to step into the fireplace. He moved to his side, taking Aurora into his arms. Sirius gave him a disapproving glance.

"Malfoy you are only making this more difficult," he said quietly. Lucius ignored him and brought his daughter close to his chest, burying his face into her blonde hair.

"Lucius? Darling please, they need to go," Narcissa said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It is too hard. I cannot let her go," he whispered, "It is my fault she must leave." He closed his eyes tightly to stop his eyes from watering due to the hurt he felt.

Narcissa felt her heart break at his statement and she closed her eyes to ward against the pain.

"We are doing this to give her her best chance. At the moment she does not have a grand life with us. Once Sirius claims her on the Equinox she will be home," she explained to him gently. Lucius released a breath and pulled away from his daughter, catching her sad gaze. She watched him silently for a moment before reaching forward to kiss him on his cheek.

"Love you Daddy," she whispered. Lucius swallowed the lump in his throat and swallowed his pride, gifting her with her own kiss on her forehead.

"And I love you my Princess. We'll see you very soon," he told her, offering her a small smile before handing her to Sirius.

Sirius nodded in thanks and made his way to the fireplace. He ensured that she was safely cushioned in his arms before taking a handful of floo Powder. He disappeared in a flash of green flames, leaving silence and sorrow in the Malfoys home.

* * *

 **Thanks again for reading lovely people!**


	3. When Others Contribute to Failure

**AN – well here we go Chapter 3! This is the last part of the Prologue. The story will continue in Chapter 4 and follow along with the usual Plot for a little while with some subtle changes. Thank you so much for all your responses! I'm so glad people enjoy my interpretation of the characters. I'm hoping to get Chapter 4 up after the Bank Holiday weekend!**

 **Thanks everyone, I hope you enjoy!**

 **Chapter 3: Prologue Part 3:- When others contribute to Failure**

The first week was the hardest for the young man and the small girl. Although an extremely intelligent child Aurora did not fully understand the reason that she was not with her family. She would sit in relative silence during the day, watching her temporary guardian attempt to entertain her. Sometimes she would smile but Sirius knew deep down she was simply humouring him.

In their second week together, Sirius decided it was time to introduce her to his friends. He had agreed to meet James and Lily at Hogwarts with Harry to give them a day away from their secret kept home. He helped Aurora dress in her favourite set of robes and waved his wand over her head, making sure her hair was styled beautifully. Narcissa had ensured he knew all manners of spells to keep her daughter clean and looking beautiful, she had made him promise that he would make sure she looked perfect before leaving his home.

"She still has an image to uphold, whether she is seen as a Malfoy or a Black!" she exclaimed at his impatient huff.

Aurora was becoming an independent child, realising that she could walk and certainly take herself anywhere she needed. It made his journeys a lot slower, so when he appeared at Hogwarts gates she immediately wriggled to be released. He sighed and shook his head.

"You're trouble, do you know that?" he said to her. Her face scrunched up and she shook her head indignantly.

"I not," she answered. Sirius smiled and took hold of her hand, walking at a slower pace beside her.

"You are, all Blacks are trouble," he stated. She shook her head again.

"I not Black, I Malfoy," she told him. Sirius laughed and tugged on her arm slightly.

"You are half a Black. When I name you my heir you will be a full Black little miss," he explained to her. Aurora remained silent but kept her smaller hand within his own. Sirius looked down at her and found a frown settled on her face. He sighed and stopped, crouching to her level. "I know you don't understand darling, this is really confusing for you but I promise that it will all make sense when you're older." He attempted to explain to her in a way that she would understand but her indignant little face showed that she did not understand and did not agree with him.

Sirius sighed again and lifted her into his arms, throwing her slightly into the air to make her squeal.

"Siri! Down!" she exclaimed. Sirius shook his head and quickened his pace to the Castle.

"If you walk my dear we will take all day. You want to meet Harry don't you?" he asked her. Aurora shrugged but dutifully placed her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder.

Her eyes widened however and her head sprung up when she first laid her eyes on the magnificent sight of the castle. Sirius caught her wide eyes expression and gave a chuckle.

"Don't worry Aurora; it won't look so big when you attend as a student. It will still look as grand however," he said to her quietly.

As he began to ascend the front steps the large front doors opened automatically for him. He quickly stepped through and made his way towards the Great Hall where he could hear the faint sound of his friend's voice.

"Sirius!" James' voice rang across the hall as he stepped into the candle lit room. The hall was empty apart from the few professors and guests sat at the head table. Sirius offered a hand to wave as he made his way up the centre isle towards the group. Aurora hid her face in his neck with sudden shyness, causing him to rest his hand on her back with a slight chuckle.

As he approached the table his friends began to notice the small figure he held in his arms and watched him questionably. Sirius took a seat beside his friends and settled his ward on his knees, laughing again as she buried her face into his chest.

James cleared his throat.

"Sirius, it seems you have an extra part with you today. Care to explain?" he asked. Sirius patted Aurora's back comfortingly before answering thoughtfully.

"This is my ward Aurora. She will soon become my Heir on the Equinox and returning to her family, I am just watching her until then," he explained vaguely. James frowned and Lily leant forward to look around her husband. Sirius grinned when he met the green eyes of his Godson. The small dark haired boy gave a grin when he found his Godfather and squealed, reaching with his arms to him. Lily wrapped her arms around her son's small waist.

"I wouldn't have thought you'd have named a perfect stranger your legal heir Sirius. I thought you couldn't do that, didn't your mother remove you from the Black family?" she asked. Sirius shrugged.

"It seems that since my brother passed my Mother has been rather neglectful with her responsibilities. It seems she hasn't formally removed me as heir to the family," he explained. James frowned.

"How do you know that? I can't really imagine that she's written to you to keep you informed," he asked his friend. Sirius shifted uncomfortably, finding his next words difficult to produce.

"I was told by family," he gave another vague answer. James bristled defensively.

"I was always under the impression the only family you had were in the same position as you; abandoned and none the wiser." Sirius sighed and shook his head.

"Andromeda has told me that since my Mother has barricaded herself within Grimauld Place she has been reached by her Parents and her sister," he explained. James frowned in confusion but Lily took another glance at the blonde haired child and gave a nod.

"The child is your Cousin's daughter isn't she? Andromeda's younger sister married Lucius Malfoy. I remember seeing the announcement in the Daily Prophet," she explained. James' gaze darkened and he hissed.

"Why are you doing the Malfoy's a favour?" he asked sharply. Sirius sighed.

"Narcissa is my family, this extends to her daughter. I may have been removed from the family by my mother but my Aunt and Uncle believe she is wrong and this view is shared by Narcissa. I am bound by my family James, they are in trouble and they needed my help," he explained gently, keeping his tone quiet as not to upset the children. He felt Aurora grip his robes and he bounced her slightly on his knee.

James shook his head with a sneer on his face.

"They can't be trusted Sirius, you should know what they're like. Voldemort's right hand and probably trying to lead you into a trick! If they're in trouble it's their own fault for fraternising with that evil bas-" James was abruptly interrupted by his wife.

"James! That is enough! You are basing your assumption on rumours we have heard of the Malfoys. Sirius wouldn't do anything without a good reason or have you forgotten how much of a grudge your friend can hold?" she asked sharply. James huffed and crossed his arms.

"Fine...why don't you tell us why you're throwing your life away over Death Eater scum?" he asked snidely. Sirius frowned and his hands tightened on Aurora's body when she stiffened, turning her head slightly to cast an eye on the dark haired man.

"Now James," Dumbledore's calm voice floated over from Lily's other side, "Allow Sirius to give us his side of the story. I'm sure a full explanation will shed light on the situation," he explained, glancing over the rim of his half-moon glasses at the younger man.

Sirius sighed and leant back in his seat, preparing himself for a long explanation.

"Aurora's life has been threatened. To cut a long story short, her Grandfather Abraxas did not agree with his son producing a female child, not to mention a female child with the birth right of the Malfoy's heir. He granted a proposal to his son; he either allows Voldemort to accept her as his own heir or he and Narcissa dispose of her. Obviously, they don't want either to happen so we came up with a plan to protect her. Once she is my heir she will be free to be returned to her family and Malfoy Sr can't do anything about it," he explained.

"You do realise that they'll ruin the name of Black once they get their hands back on her? With her being your legal heir they'll teach her how to most likely kill you and then Voldemort will have control over two of the most powerful Pureblood families in the entire Wizarding World," James told him. Sirius sighed and ran a hand through his hair, beginning to feel irritated.

"Are you being deliberately obtuse? Don't you think I have considered that?! You weren't there James; you didn't see how worried Narcissa and Lucius are. You should know how they are feeling, after all; Voldemort is potentially hunting your son as well!" he exclaimed in anger. James frowned at his best friend in frustration.

"I am very aware of how much danger my family is in Sirius. I however, rely on myself to keep them safe and protected. I imagine Lucius cannot protect his family and relies on others to do the job for him because he has allied himself with the wrong wizard!" James shouted.

Sirius felt Aurora stiffen in his arms and he stood quickly, bobbing her in his arms in an attempt to calm her. She was well known for her anger when her family was insulted.

"It's all right Aurora," he whispered to her.

"Siri angry?" she asked quietly. Sirius shook his head.

"No darling, James and I are just having a loud discussion," he explained lamely. She whimpered in his arms.

"Want my Daddy," she cried. Sirius took a deep breath and rubbed her back in a comforting manner. It had been the first time that she had asked for her parents when upset. He scowled at his wards tears, angry at his best friend's inconsiderate words. He turned to the dark haired man.

"I don't need to have your personal support in this James. If I remember rightly it had to take me openly showing distaste for a Slytherin before you openly accepted me as a friend and completely trusted me. I am not willing to do that again for the sake of my family. I like to think I've grown up a bit more since then," he told him. James frowned but remained silent. Dumbledore stood and cleared his throat.

"Sirius, you must understand what your liaison with the Malfoy family means to the Order. It has potential to endanger not just yourself and the child but those whose secret you keep," he said gently. Sirius felt white hot anger race through his veins at the meaning behind the headmaster's words. He took a step forwards, biting the inside of his cheek and forcing his hand into a fist to stop himself from taking his wand and cursing the old man.

"Do you mean to Imply Headmaster, that I would allow the safety of my friends to come into question?" he asked quietly. He knew that when he decided to become more involved with his family that he was more vulnerable for attack so he and James and Lily had made the decision to change Secret Keeper at the beginning of summer.

"Sirius we all know that wouldn't be possible," Lily answered gently, attempting to sooth his anger, "I think James and Albus are simply concerned for your safety because of your involvement with them," he explained.

"Well they needn't be. I trust them with my life," he stated. James shook his head and sighed.

"You're putting your trust in the wrong family Sirius," he said gravely. Sirius shrugged.

"If I cannot trust my Family James who am I meant to trust?"

Silence followed his statement. He took a deep breath and released it, turning back towards the doors of the Great Hall.

"Sirius, please don't leave!" Lily exclaimed. He closed his eyes when he heard Harry cry out for him and almost stopped to turn back but Aurora's arms gripped his neck tighter.

"I'm sorry Lily. I'll have to arrange another time to see Harry. I need to ensure Aurora is not further upset after today," he told her before making his way out of the hall.

He didn't hear from his best friend for weeks following their argument in the Great Hall. He had always known James was stubborn and that he had a firm hatred of anyone or anything not associated with the light. He hadn't expected to be on the receiving end of his friend's stubbornness and for once he felt incredibly guilty for assisting him with his plight against Slytherin's when they were in school.

He kept himself to his flat, entertaining his young ward as much as possible. Andromeda agreed to watch her young niece whilst he went to work, emotionally taking her in her arms when Sirius suggested it.

"I can't stay away from work; that would look too suspicious. I'm sure Narcissa would agree you are the best and next inconspicuous person who can have her for a while," he explained to her. Andromeda was thrilled to meet her niece and she was even more thrilled to introduce her to her daughter. Nymphadora had just turned eight and was coming into her powers as a metamorphous; she took her time entertaining the smaller child.

Lily had written to him, asking after him and his ward. She was the more level headed between she and her husband and he appreciated that she hadn't forgotten about him in her husband's anger.

She sent constant updates of Harry and James, telling him how frustrated the older man was becoming. Sirius, although sympathetic, refused to comment. He knew how frustrated his friend had become and he also knew that frustration contributed to their argument. It didn't stop him from feeling slight betrayal that his friend couldn't trust his judgement with his family. It made him realise what blind faith he had in the bespectacled man, as had the tables turned he would have followed James no matter what.

By the third week of September he and Aurora had bonded nicely. He believed that their relationship would help towards naming of his heir on the Equinox. Every night when he picked her up from Andromeda's home and apparated to his flat, he and Aurora would eat dinner and then dress for bed. He had left a cot in his small spare bedroom, comfortable enough for the younger child. She had stared at it with a look of distaste when she first moved into his home, but had soon become accommodated with her temporary bed.

With only a week until the Equinox, Sirius had laid her down to sleep and was sat before the fire in his lounge with a small glass of firewhiskey. He sighed and stretched out his long limbs, resting his head on the back of the couch when his fire flashed green and gave a roar. His eyes snapped open from their relaxed state and he stood abruptly, pointing his wand at the figure stepping out of the fire.

He released his held breath when he found the ruffled dark hair and glasses of his friend.

"Great Merlin James! You frightened the life out of me!" he exclaimed. James gave a quirk of his lips but remained silent, brushing down his robes. Sirius waved his wand and frowned at the time it displayed, "James, it's starting to get late. Why have you left Lily and Harry alone at home?" he asked.

"They aren't alone, Remus and Peter are with them," he told him. Sirius shook his head.

"You know our suspicions with Remus...why take the risk?" he snapped. James frowned and drew his wand.

"Because I don't want to believe that any of my friends would turn against me like that! To be honest Padfoot, out of the three of you the only one that has had actual contact with Death Eaters is you," he stated. Sirius watched him, his body stiffening in caution. He gave an inconspicuous flick of his wrist, feeling his wand slide from his sleeve and into his fingers.

"What are you trying to say James?" he asked quietly. James sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"You haven't been yourself Sirius. You used to say you'd dedicate your life to the cause, to fighting Voldemort. Now it seems you're only interested in risking your life for the Malfoys and their brat! Where is your loyalty?" he asked sharply. Sirius shook his head.

"I am loyal to you James, I always have been! I haven't even spoken to Aurora's parents because we felt that it was safer that they not see her until it was safe to! You are the head of your family James and you have a duty to protect them, which is your right. I am still the head of my family whilst my Mother is refusing to co-operate and I have a duty to protect them!" he exclaimed.

"Even if that means going against what you believe in!" James shouted.

"What am I possibly doing that is against the Order James? I am caring for a 16 month old child! She is not a threat to you or the Order! She's the same age as Harry for Merlin's sake!" he argued. James shook his head.

"Why can't you see that you are placing her in a position of power? If you make her your heir and then send her back to her family you are doomed. All your secrets – revealed. Where does that then leave us? Are you being deliberately stupid?" he shouted. Sirius growled and flicked his wand at the insult, sending a silent jinx to his friend. James blocked it skilfully and ducked behind the nearest chair, knowing that whilst he was skilled with his wand he couldn't out duel his friend.

"You are being deliberately Stupid Prongs if you think you can come to my home and insult me like that! I'm doing what I think is best for my family and I trust them completely. Why can't you see that!" he exclaimed.

James did not reply, but instead pointed his wand at the nearest window.

"Reducto!" he shouted. The window smashed, and with the force of the spell the frame was destroyed, falling out into the street below. Sirius ducked and covered his head to avoid the shattered glass.

The sound of the explosion made Aurora startle awake and she gave a cry of shock and fear. Her cry was head through the door of her bedroom, momentarily distracting her guardian. James took his chance whilst his friend was distracted and pointed his wand at him from behind the chair.

"Impedimenta!" he shouted.

Sirius silently cursed as the spell hit him and sent him across the room. As he landed he felt his body refuse to move against the spell. He gritted his teeth and forced his head up, staring at his friend in anger.

"You...Bastard..." he said through gritted teeth. He knew the spell would not last long, James' curses rarely did. He could already feel the magic around his head weakening, allowing him to watch his friend make his way to the smaller bedroom.

He heard Aurora's cries increase as she was brought out of the room in James' arms.

"What're you doing James?" he asked sharply. James ignored him and made his way to the fireplace. Sirius' heart thumped in his chest at the implication "James!" he shouted again.

James stopped and sighed.

"I'm doing what's best for everyone Padfoot. If you want to keep her safe then there is a better place for her where she can't be influenced by anyone," he explained vaguely, "Dumbledore knows what to do with her," he stepped towards the fire. Sirius struggled against the magic, feeling his shoulders loosen.

"Don't do this James! I will never forgive you if you do this to me!" he screamed. James stiffened and turned to his friend once more.

Raising his wand he gave him a sad smile, "You won't need to forgive me Sirius. You won't even remember that it was me who took her," he said gently. He waved his wand and whispered "Obliviate," followed quickly by a "Stupefy," knocking his friend unconscious. He sighed and shook his head, "I'm sorry Padfoot."

Reaching into his pocket he took a handful of floo powder and threw it into the fire, allowing it to swallow him as he stated his destination.

When Sirius woke he felt stiff and confused. He stood cautiously, patting his body down to ensure that he was not hurt. Flexing his finger around his wand he looked carefully around the lounge of his flat, frowning at the disarray of his furniture.

Suddenly, he noticed the door to Aurora's bedroom was wide open. His breath caught in his throat as he launched himself at it, stepping into the room and checking every corner of the empty cot.

"Aurora," he whispered, feeling his limbs begin to tremble. He checked every inch of her room, calling out her name in terror.

"Aurora!" he shouted around the flat, feeling tears leave his eyes at the realisation that she wasn't in his home. He tried to recall the events of the night before but found them fuzzy and was unable to recall them. He sat on the couch and ran a hand though his hair in frustration. His eyes landed on the overturned bottle of fire whiskey and his heart clenched in shame. Had he been drinking the night before? If so, had he drunk so much that he couldn't defend himself and his ward as they were attacked? Guilt erupted through his body and he rested his elbows on his knees, burying his fingers into his hair in despair.

He couldn't bring himself to tell Lucius and Narcissa. He had promised them that he would keep their daughter safe and couldn't bear the thought of their disappointment and hatred of him. He silently searched for the child, casting all manner of spells on her spare clothing in an attempt to locate her. It had certainly narrowed his search; the locator spell showed him that Aurora was in the Greater London Area, so really not far. It was impossible to pinpoint her exact location; spells had been put in place to avoid that from happening.

He took to wandering around Muggle London in his dog form, appearing as a large stray. He kept his magic open, waiting to feel the familiar magical signature of his ward. He searched for four weeks with no success.

He'd quietly mentioned his concerns to Lily when he went to visit her and Harry. He was still angry at James for their argument at Hogwarts and refused to be at Godric's Hollow when the dark haired man was present. Lily usually sent James out flying when Sirius was expected. She was rather surprised to see James so lenient to following her instructions, making his way to the back garden with a sad expression on his face.

She was surprised and slightly suspicious that someone had attacked, left Sirius alive and kidnapped the child.

"It doesn't make sense Sirius. Death Eaters wouldn't have simply stunned you and taken Aurora, not without leaving a letter requesting information. It doesn't seem like their normal behaviour," she reasoned. Sirius sighed and shook his head.

"I'm running out of options Lily. I tried to go ahead and name her as my heir on the equinox but it failed. It shouldn't have failed! The only reason it would have failed is if she is either no longer seen as one of my family or she's..." he left the sentence open, unable to complete it as his throat closed in pain. Lily took his hand and squeezed it in comfort.

"Your locator spell wouldn't have worked if she'd have passed. She is still alive Sirius," she whispered.

"Then what am I meant to do? I don't even know where to start with explaining this to Lucius and Narcissa. I am meant to be a Gryffindor but I can't seem to find my courage," he told her. Lily frowned.

"Surely you cannot be blamed for this. It is certainly tragic but it is no fault of yours that you were attacked at night!" she exclaimed. Sirius sighed and shook his head, the familiar guilt eating away at him.

"I can't remember what happened Lily. I didn't feel the residue of an Obliviate so something obviously has helped me to forget. I think...I think I may have been drinking that night and that's why I can't remember," he whispered, closing his eyes in pain. Lily frowned.

"Sirius, you haven't drunk that much in the last 12 months! If you have had a drink it was only one and that was after a stressful night at work. Of which you have had plenty no doubt! I don't believe that you would have gotten so drunk, especially whilst you knew you had Aurora to look after!" she exclaimed.

Sirius wiped at his eyes, clearing his throat and shrugging.

"I just don't know Lily. I don't know what I'll have done anymore. It's a complete blank!" he said in despair. Lily sighed and drew her wand, an idea forming in her mind.

"Sirius, maybe there is a way I can help. I have been learning a little bit of new magic that I remember an old friend referencing when we were at Hogwarts. It's called Legilimency which is a method of navigating the layers of a person's mind. It means that I could possibly access your memory of that night and reveal your attacker," she explained. Sirius looked up with curiosity, his eyes gleaming with a small measure of hope, Lily smiled, "I need to warn you that I am not highly skilled in the procedure. The little I know may be of some help but I can't guarantee it."

Sirius shook his head and sat up straighter.

"I'm willing to try Lily. Anything is better than nothing at the moment," he told her. Lily nodded and straightened her shoulders, pointing her wand at him and concentrated in clearing her own mind in preparation to enter his.

"I need you to stay as calm as possible. The invasion is going to feel strange and unfamiliar but I will attempt to be as gentle as possible," she instructed gently. Sirius nodded and settled his gaze on her familiar emerald orbs.

Lily whispered the spell and felt herself slip into Sirius' mind.

Sirius tensed slightly at the strange foreign feeling within his mind. He fought against the instinct to close his eyes away from his friend's searching gaze and gritted his teeth, gripping his knees and concentrated on his breathing.

Lily took his hand in hers again, rubbing his fingers in an attempt to sooth him. Slowly, he felt his shoulders relax as the feeling of her in his mind began to feel familiar.

As he relaxed Lily slipped further into his mind, concentrating as clips of his memories began to play for her. She skipped past each memory, frowning as she searched for the night his ward was taken from him. Suddenly, she found a slice of memory where Sirius was thrown across the room of his flat. She stopped and dug deeper into that memory, bending her magic so she could see his attacker more clearly.

She watched as her friend struggled to regain his mobility, fighting against the Impedimenta, She frowned when she found a dark shape stand across the room from him. She could clearly see the shape of the male's body but his face and robes were completely blacked out. She realised that her friend had been skilfully obliviated by his attacker.

Gripping her wand tighter she concentrated her magic into breaking the darkness of the image. She felt sweat bead on her forehead as she concentrated. She knew she couldn't break the Obliviate as that would cause damage in her friend's mind, so she bent her magic to showing her the attacker's face for a brief moment. As though casting a 'lumos' into the memory she felt satisfaction soon fall into surprise and horror as she recognised the image of her husband's sad hazel eyes behind his familiar round glasses.

She drew out of Sirius' mind in shock, turning away from him as her stomach threatened to expel its contents. Sirius gripped his head at her abrupt parting, groaning against the impeding ache to his temples.

"That was extremely weird," he commented, rubbing his eyes against the pain. Squinting slightly he cleared his throat and looked at his friend who had turned away from him, "Did you manage to see what happened?" he asked. Lily nodded, shock still leaving her silent.

"Lily?" he asked in concern, "what happened?" her silence forced him to think the worst; "I was drunk wasn't I? It's my fault Aurora's gone," he whispered.

Lily felt anger at his guilt and spun around to face him.

"Sirius I can confirm that you certainly was not drunk! You were attacked unfairly and caught off guard because of your concern for her when she began to cry at the commotion," she explained. Sirius released a breath in relief, closing his eyes.

"Did you see who did it?" he asked sternly. Lily swallowed the lump in her throat, fighting against the urge to tell her friend everything.

"Your attacker obliviated his identity from your mind. This meant that I could see him but I could not see his face. I'm sorry Sirius," she lied. The guilt clenched at her stomach again, forcing her to stand and move as far away from him as possible. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and closed her eyes again against the pain.

"Are you ok?" he asked quietly. Lily nodded.

"I'm just sad that I couldn't do more for you Sirius," she whispered. She heard him stand and make his way over to her, wrapping his arms around her back and pulled her into his chest. She wrapped her arms around his back and buried her face into his chest, feeling tears gather at the anger and guilt she felt.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to him. Sirius gave a soft chuckle, resting his cheek against her head.

"It's not your fault Lil'. You did everything you could," he told her.

Lily nodded and allowed him to hold her for a few moments, drawing comfort from his warm body.

When he left moments later Lily took Harry to bed. She tucked him in with a kiss and a smile, rubbing her fingers through his dark hair and down his soft cheek.

When she stepped back into the lounge she found her husband sat on the couch with a book.

"I thought he'd never leave. It was starting to get cold out there," he said to her. Her lip curled in anger as his nonchalance. She didn't know how he could simply sit there and not tell her what he'd done.

"Sirius and I had a lot to discuss. He's been wandering around London for the last four weeks, didn't you know?" she asked. James looked up from his book with a cautious expression.

"Albus mentioned something about it," he told her. Lily nodded and sat across from him.

"Do you know why he's been wandering around London? Someone attacked him at his home on the 19th of September and kidnapped Aurora," she explained. She watched him carefully to read his expression. His eyes widened slightly and he bit the inside of his cheek, allowing a worried expression to fall onto his face.

"He's never mentioned it," he said. Lily shook her head.

"Well he wouldn't because he felt responsible for it. I've managed to find out tonight that his attacker obliviated him. It would be difficult to see who it was without causing damage to Sirius' mind," she told him. She felt disgust fill her stomach as his shoulder visibly sagged in relief. Righteous anger filled her and she felt her hand curl into fists.

"I used Legilimency on him and pressed as much as I could without hurting him. I actually managed to get a short glimpse of his attacker," she whispered. James eyes widened again in fear and he chose to remain silent. Lily shook her head and stood, "How could you?" she snapped. James sighed.

"Lily-" she interrupted, her anger and disgust at his actions forcing her to speak.

"He's your best friend! Your best friend and you attacked him!" she yelled. She made sure to cast a silent silencing charm at the stairs so their argument wouldn't wake her precious son. James frowned.

"If you watched the memory properly you'd have seen that he sent the first spell at me!" he told her. Lily snorted.

"Of course he did, right after you insulted him. You simply weren't happy with leaving him to his own devices were you! You just had to get involved and ruin everything for him!" she exclaimed.

"He was getting involved with the Malfoys! They can't be trusted Lily!" he shouted.

"How in the world do you know? Have you spoken to them lately? Have you fought them lately? You don't need to answer that James because I know the answer is no! You don't actually know the first thing about them, you've just assumed they must be dark because their Family has a history of disliking Muggleborns!" she shouted.

"I know they are with Voldemort, Lucius Malfoy always used to brag about being in the Bastard's pocket. Blonde hair isn't quite as easy to hide behind those masks either, I've seen him at those attacks," he told her.

"Sirius would have had a good reason for helping them James. In fact when you demanded an explanation from him at Hogwarts he happily gave it to you. It was acceptable enough for me, why not for you?" she asked him.

"Albus didn't think it was appropriate for Sirius to be endangering us like that. He felt her magic when she came to Hogwarts and he knew that if we allowed her to be returned to the Malfoys she would be a force against us," he explained. Lily frowned.

"They are her family James. How would you have felt if Harry was taken away from us for the same reason?" she asked quietly. James scowled.

"Like I said to Sirius, I wouldn't give Harry to another man to protect. No one protects my family but me," he said firmly. Lily sighed and shook her head, her energy suddenly draining.

"What have you done with her James?" she asked.

"Albus thought it best if she was put with a muggle family. He's layered protections on her home and dampened her magic slightly. He erased her memories and placed a strong glamour on her. Not even her parents would recognise her now," he scoffed, "fitting punishment really, A Malfoy growing up with Muggles. Her ancestors will be turning over in their graves!"

Lily scowled and shook her head.

"Is that really what this was about? Punishing the Malfoys?" she asked quietly.

"No, it was about doing the right thing for the Greater Good," he told her. Lily frowned.

"Dumbledore has been saying that a lot lately, now you're starting to sound just like him. We're all becoming chess pieces on his rather large chess board and I fear it will only end fatally," she whispered. James carefully reached forward, holding his hands out in case she lashed out at him again. She watched him and whimpered; her frustration and guilt forcing her to tears.

"Hold me," she whispered, seeking comfort. He released his breath and pulled her into his arms, dropping a kiss on her head.

"It will be all right," he whispered to her.

"How can it be all right James? This war even has you attacking you best friend. It's not right," she told him. James sighed and closed his eyes against the wave of guilt attacking his senses.

"He was falling away from me," he explained to her, "You didn't tell him did you?" he asked her. She shook her head against his chest and he sighed in relief.

"No, I didn't tell him James but I don't know how I am going to manage to keep it a secret from him the next time I see him," she told him. James nodded in understanding, a sad expression on his face. Lily observed him for a moment before cupping his cheek in her hand.

"Although I don't agree with your reasoning I still understand why you did it. You may give me any excuse under the sun about doing this for the greater good but I know that you've don't this because you are worried that Sirius' attentions are elsewhere. You're worried about this because we've changed to Peter as the Secret Keeper and you're worried something is going to happen to him," she explained to him with a small smile. James gave her a wide eyed expression to which she rolled her eyes.

"You really can read me can't you?" he asked her. Lily sighed and ran her fingers through his unruly hair.

"Yes Husband, I can read you. For the sake of your friendship I will not tell Sirius no matter how difficult it will be, however you need to tell me where you and Dumbledore have taken her. One of these days Voldemort will fall and the Malfoys will want their daughter back. Regardless of whether they deserve her or not they still have a right to her," she told him.

James sighed and nodded, taking a deep breath before explaining everything to his beloved wife.

* * *

Narcissa grit her teeth as she made her way through the dark walls of Azkaban prison. She was late, it was mid-November but she had not had chance to get away from their home. She had had to fight to keep her family together following the fall of the Dark Lord. The Ministry had quickly swooped down on her husband for being a Death Eater.

He had managed to keep himself out of Azkaban, telling Amelia Bones that he had been under the pressure of his Father to join the Dark Lord as a Death Eater. She found it difficult to believe but with a nudge from the Minister of Magic (with enough gold lining his pockets) she released him to go home.

As she was accompanied further into the depths of Azkaban she began to feel the cold influence of the Dementors. She shuddered as memories of her son's cries when the Aurors broke into their home echoed around her head. Draco had been so upset and terrified at the spells cast. She had taken him into her arms to shield him as much as possible from their attack. Lucius had surrendered very quickly at seeing his son's fear.

"It will be all right Draco," he said steadily, offering his wand over to Alastor Moody.

Moody sneered and jabbed his wand at the blonde haired man, "Don't bet your life on it Malfoy," he growled.

Taking a deep breath, Narcissa attempted to shake of the feeling of dread and concentrated on her mission. Once she had managed to ensure that Lucius was safe at home she then caught up with the magical news and was shocked to find that Sirius had been arrested. She questioned Lucius liberally about Sirius' position in the war and he denied ever knowing that Sirius was ever a Death Eater.

"If he was, the Dark Lord kept him very close in his pocket," he told her. Narcissa refused to believe it. What worried them was the current location of Aurora. They had decided to leave Aurora with Sirius whilst the Dark Lord made his plans to defeat the 'Chosen' boy. They felt comfortable knowing that Sirius had named the child as his heir so the Dark Lord couldn't take her away from them.

Of course, with Sirius now in prison it left the question of what he did with Aurora before he was arrested.

"Here we are Mrs Malfoy. This is the High Security wing. We've recently included a few new inmates following the fall of You Know Who," the young guard explained to her. She chose to remain silent, observing the shivering and dirty witches and wizards behind the grimy cell doors. A cackle was heard as she stepped past a particularly dark cell, a cackle that brought shivers down her spine at the familiarity.

"Here to visit your precious husband Cissy?" the breathless voice of her older sister echoed from the small space. Narcissa watched her sister carefully as she crawled out of the shadows. Her once luscious dark curls were a tattered mess, already losing their beautiful shine and styled tameness. Her dark eyes were dull and her face was drawn but her lips still managed to twist into the crazed smirk she had recently adopted under the Dark Lord's rein. Narcissa scowled at her sister and remained silent, choosing to move past her cell.

Bellatrix leapt forward, clinging to the bars with dirty hands.

"Narcissa! He's not here is he? He denied knowing anything about the Dark Lord! He's a traitor and he will be punished when the time is right!" she screamed. Narcissa continued forward, ignoring her sister's screams.

"She's been screaming and shouting since she came in here. Thing is, the Dementors are only going to make her worst," the guard commented. Narcissa released a breath.

"She's in the right place," she quietly commented.

The guard lead her further down the corridor before stopping outside another dark cell with a tiny window. She turned to face into the cell, taking a deep breath to calm herself. Turning slightly to the guard she made a shooing motion with her hands.

"You may leave us now," she told him. The guard hesitated.

"I'm not s'posed to leave you Ma'am," he said quickly. Narcissa scowled.

"I wish to have a private conversation with this man. He has been imprisoned for attacking Muggles and betraying the Potters. I am neither so I believe I will be quite safe," she told him. He remained on the spot. She sighed and drew her wand, "Please do not force me to use this sir; I have been given strict permission by the Minister himself for a private conversation with this prisoner. I'm sure you will be in more trouble not acquiescing his request than actually leaving me here," She explained.

The guard visibly swallowed before backing away from the cell and waiting at the end of the corridor. Narcissa sighed and turned back to the dark room. She stared sadly at the silent figure slumped against the bare wall. His knees were drawn to his chest and his elbows were sat upon them, allowing him to bury his fingers into his hair.

"You needn't stick to formalities Narcissa. If I wasn't beneath you before I certainly am now," he said quietly from behind his hands. Narcissa took a deep breath and gripped the bars within her hands.

"I am not here to discuss formalities Sirius. Your Mother is still alive and although you are incarcerated this will not affect your position in the family. You know what information I am here for," she said to him quietly. Sirius sighed and lifted his face from his hands. Narcissa frowned at the look of guilt and failure in his dark eyes.

He closed them for a moment in pain and gripped his fingers into fists.

"Of course I know why you are here. It has plagued me along with everything else ever since I was thrown into here!" he exclaimed. Narcissa snarled.

"Then where is she!" she spat, her anger making her blood boil. She refused to believe the speculations of Sirius' betrayal; he was the most loyal person that she knew. Her anger stemmed from the circumstances they found themselves in because of one dark wizard and his ambition.

"I don't know," he whispered. Narcissa's eyes widened and she remained silent for a moment whilst her mind processed his answer.

"What do you mean 'You don't know'?" she asked, "Surely you made plans for your heir in case something like this happened?" she whispered breathlessly. Sirius scowled.

"Of course I did! She was to be returned to you and Lucius! I don't know where she is because someone took her from me!" he exclaimed. He stood abruptly and stepped right up to the bars of his cell so he could be face to face with her. "She was taken from me and the memory was erased. I don't remember who took and I have spent weeks trying to find her. I failed you Narcissa...I promised that I would keep her safe and I failed you," he explained to her, his voice breaking in emotion.

Narcissa felt her eyes water with shock and pain. She didn't want to believe that her daughter had been taken from her. She swallowed the lump in her throat and wiped a hand across her eyes, leaning her forehead against the cool metal of the cell bars.

"There is a spell that one can use to locate their heir. Surely you have tried to use this spell and it gave you some sort of idea of her location," she whispered. Sirius scoffed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I tried to make her my heir Narcissa, but it wouldn't work," he told her. Narcissa frowned.

"It should have worked. You'd spent enough time together to solidify the bond for the ritual!" she told him. Sirius shrugged.

"I realised that! Narcissa, the only possible reason that this did not work is because she isn't classed as a member of my family anymore," he explained.

"She wasn't classed as a Riddle but that wouldn't have mattered!" she snapped, Sirius frowned.

"That was because Riddle had the permission of her head of house! Our relationship would have been enough along with the magic of the Equinox but someone must have erased that relationship from her mind. That is the only explanation for this," he explained to her. Narcissa felt a tear slip down her cheek as her eyes closed in defeat.

Sirius watched her silently for a moment, feeling helpless and terribly guilty.

"Why didn't you tell me," she cried quietly, her voice breaking in emotion. Sirius sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder through the bars.

"I was so ashamed. I wanted to find her without worrying you Cissa," he told her quietly.

"My baby is gone," she whispered.

"She is still alive. She is in London but someone placed a spell on her to hide her location. I really tried Narcissa. I even asked for a mind healer to try and access my memories but they told me the Obliviate was too dangerous to remove. I'm so sorry," he cried, pressing his head to the bars, "Please forgive me Cissa," he whispered.

Narcissa listened to her cousin beg for her forgiveness through his own tears. She felt her heat break at his sobs, at her own pain for the loss of her daughter. How was she going to tell Lucius that his pride and joy was now missing? How would Draco survive any longer without his twin? She cupped a hand around her cousin's head and thread her fingers through his greasy hair. Although she wanted to curse him for what had happened she couldn't bring herself to hating him. He had promised to care for Aurora to the best of his abilities and she could feel the remorse at his failure.

"You need to be strong here Sirius," she whispered to him.

"I can't. I'm trapped and I can't prove otherwise. I didn't do it Cissa I swear it!" he exclaimed passionately. Narcissa nodded against the bars.

"I know you didn't. There is no way you would betray your friends and I know you would not betray us. I forgive you Sirius," she told him. He let out a pained moan, shaking his head.

"You can't forgive me...she's gone," he cried. Narcissa gripped his hair and gave it a sharp tug.

"She's alive, you said so yourself. We will find her and then we will find a way to have you taken out of here. I promise," she told him. Sirius took a shuddering breath and finally lifted his head from the bars. His eyes were ringed red from his tears, he rubbed them absently. Narcissa gave an affectionate tut and pulled her wide handkerchief from her pocket, gently rubbing his face dry. He gave her a small smile.

"How can you forgive me?" he whispered with a wondrous tone. Narcissa smiled back.

"Because you are my family and I have spent too long hating people who I should love," She explained.

"Lucius will hate me," he stated. Narcissa gave a laugh.

"Yes, he most likely will. I promise that he will do nothing to you though once we get you out of here. I need you to hold on for me and be strong, can you do that?" she asked. Sirius sighed.

"When I am alone it is not so bad. When the Dementors come...Narcissa I relive every little horrible thing I have done. Every mistake I have made is played in my head! I even felt guilty about Snape this morning!" he exclaimed. Narcissa chuckled and reached through the bars, taking his hand and looking deep into his familiar blue eyes.

"They are playing on your emotions Sirius. They are feeding on them. What you need to give them, is a different kind of emotion that they will not understand," she explained, giving him a knowing look. He stared at her in confusion for a moment before realisation brightened in his gaze.

"What other emotions are different than those of an animal?" he asked with a smirk. Narcissa smiled and tapped his cheek affectionately.

"There he is," she whispered, "I was getting worried for a moment there," she chucked. Sirius smiled.

"I really am sorry Cissa," he whispered. Narcissa nodded.

"I know, and I understand. You were attacked and then obliviated. You did everything that you could. The war is over now and The Dark Lord is gone. This gives us enough time to find her and fetch her home," she explained.

Sirius nodded and stepped away from the bars, taking a quick look out of the small window.

"The moon is beginning to rise; the Dementors will be here shortly. You need to go now," he told her. She nodded and stepped away from the bars. This prompted the guard to quickly make his way up the corridor.

"I will try and get you out of here Sirius, I promise," she told him.

"Find Pettigrew," he whispered. Narcissa frowned but nodded before silently following the guard back down the corridor and out of Azkaban.

* * *

 **Thank you for reading my lovelies, until next time...**


	4. When What was Lost is Found

**AN: Wow, the feedback I have received for this story is extremely overwhelming. I am so pleased that everyone is enjoying the story and I am happy to keep providing you with a little bit more each time. I am really enjoying this story and I have big plans for our characters. I only hope that you enjoy the plot as much as I do.**

 **Here is Chapter 4. As it was the Bank Holiday in the UK this weekend I have had some time to get this chapter together for you all. It is not as long as previous chapters but I feel it still has enough in there for you all. This is where the story truly starts!**

 **Thank you for all your lovely reviews, follows and Favourites. They certainly press me on and have me updating a lot sooner than originally planned!**

 **Much love xoxo**

 **Chapter 4: When What was Hidden is Found**

Hermione had never realised how awkward it had become between her and her parents. Once upon a time she had a comfortable, loving relationship with them, but her new position as a witch slowly wormed its way into small cracks that began to surface.

She was sure the cracks began when she was seven; her inquisitive younger self came across an old diary of her Mothers in a box at the back of her parents' wardrobe. She had an impressive mind at such a young age, astonishing her teachers with her vast vocabulary and intellect. She could easily read through a book meant for children twice her age without batting an eyelid. They had tried to recommend to her parents that she be taught at a higher and more acceptable level for her intelligence, but they agreed that she would receive more acceptance from her year mates if she stayed by their sides. Of course, to the other children at her school this gave them more of a reason to take out their frustration on her.

She would often come home from school in a state of upset, choosing to hide away under her bed or within her parent's large wardrobe with one of her books for company. On one particular day she came across her Mothers diary. She read with wonder if how her parents first met and how their relationship developed. She found the whole story terribly romantic. She relived their marriage and their struggles to start a family.

Confusion was then created, when during a detailed and hastily written passage her mother explained that a doctor had advised that she and her husband were unable to conceive a child.

A normal seven year old child wouldn't have thought anything of this information. She had, after all; been frequently called their miracle. There was a feeling in the deep chasms of her chest that told her there was something not quite right about what her mother had written.

She took the diary to her Mother and pointed out her written words.

Anne Granger had spluttered and stared at the diary in surprise.

"Where did you find that?" She asked.

"In your wardrobe Mummy. It was in an old box right in the back," she explained dutifully. Anne frowned at her daughter and snatched the book from her hands.

"You aren't meant to snoop around in Mummy and Daddy's wardrobe Hermione Granger. Had we wanted you to see such a thing then it would have been sat on your bookcase in your own room!" She exclaimed; her tone filled with the usual disappointment that parents inhabited when scolding their children. Fortunately, Hermione had developed the ability to ignore the tone of her Mothers voice and asked her more about the diary.

"Mummy, that book says that you and Daddy weren't able to have any children. It says the Doctor said so. If that is true then how am I here?" She asked curiously. Anne faltered at her daughter inquisitive gaze, closing her own eyes as though relieving a horrible memory.

"If I was to explain this to you Hermione it will be really confusing for you but I promise that it will all make sense when you're older," her mother explained. Hermione had sighed, the familiar sentence forcing her to drop her questions. It seemed she had always been told that she would never understand until she was older.

Her Father, taking pity on her later on that same night, sat her down and explained the truth to her.

"Darling, when Mummy and I tried to have a baby it was very hard. We went to the doctors but they told us that Mummy couldn't have any babies. So, one day you were brought to us! This is why we call you our miracle, because you were a gift to us," he explained as simply as possible. Hermione frowned, attempting to relate the information to something she could understand in her mind.

"Cora Lewisham told me that she doesn't live with her real Mummy and Daddy and she lives with her foster parents. Is this what it is like?" she asked. John sighed and leant back in his arm chair in thought.

"No darling, it is a little different. I suspect Cora knows who her Mum and Dad are and has the opportunity to see them. Your birth Mother and Father do not know where you are because they...decided to give you to a better family," he attempted to explain as kindly as possible. When Hermione came to them, the elderly case worker has explained very little about her real parents; only that they were not in a position to care for their daughter and wished for her to be cared for by a loving family. This had brought some choice words to the forefront of John and Anne's mind when discussing their baby's real parents.

Hermione's eyes widened and she leant forward in interest,

"So my Mummy and Daddy don't know where I am?" she asked, "They could be looking for me!" she exclaimed. John frowned and shook his head.

"No Hermione, they won't be looking for you," he said, his tone becoming stern in his irritation of the conversation. The discussion of Hermione's birth parents always irritated him after some time.

"But Daddy-"

"Do not question me Hermione. You parents did not want you and that is why they gave you up. We are your family now and this will be enough for you!" he exclaimed. He quickly felt guilt when his daughter's bright inquisitive eyes darkened and her lips closed, pressing together in a thin line.

She never asked her parents any other questions about her real Mother and Father. She was very observant; she could see that the mere thought of them upset them. Hermione couldn't help but be curious.

When John and Anne allowed her to visit their local library on a Saturday for an hour or so, she would forgo the usual children's section in favour of the London archives or families in their area. Families that did not have any children or were looking for a child that they had given up for adoption. Her father may have told her that she was a gift however she knew the truth.

From that point onwards Hermione would tell her friends that she was adopted. She would create a story of a young couple who loved her very much but felt that she had a better chance with a more experienced family. Her friends found this very romantic.

"Do you think you will ever meet them?" They would ask her. Hermione would shrug but smile hopefully.

The truth was; she didn't think she would ever meet them. When her Hogwarts letter arrived for her she imagined that it should have had her correct name written in the emerald cursive writing but was downhearted when she found her plain muggle name.

By the time she attended Hogwarts she, John and Anne had drifted apart. She still loved them (and she always would) but she had allowed herself to fully believe that her real parents held some form of need for her. It was a feeling that she would experience just before she drifted off into sleep, a tug at her heart that would thrum through her veins from the tips of her fingers to the ends of her toes.

She didn't understand it at first, but she figured that it was her magic calling out for her magical parents. It was a secret she kept close when she started Hogwarts. She was valued by her Professors for her cool intellect and magical prowess for someone so young and new to the magical world. She didn't tell her new friends who had saved her life that her magic wasn't new and that it was passed down from her real family.

Of course, it hurt terribly when Malfoy and the Slytherin's used her 'blood status' as an insult against her. She wanted nothing but to slay their insults and tell them that she was no more a Muggleborn than they were but she had no proof. So, she resigned herself to biting her tongue and ignoring the jibes as much as possible, no matter how much it made her realise that she knew nothing about her real parents.

At the end of her third year Hermione had fully understood the position she was in. She stood by her friend's side as a loyal Gryffindor and she still held the top position for the most intelligent in her year. In reality, she should have been exclaiming to her adopted mother how her year had gone but she couldn't bring herself to discuss it. She had made the mistake of telling John and Anne her experiences within her first year at Hogwarts and was astonished at their reaction. They had both been very displeased with her new school and had told her that they would pull her out if she was going to continue being in danger.

"You don't understand! If you take me out of Hogwarts I will have nothing!" she exclaimed to them.

"Hermione, we only care about your safety," they had tried to placate her but she remained incredibly stubborn.

"No, you don't like that I am a witch; that I am different to you. If you remove me from Hogwarts I will never speak to you again and I will definitely try to find my real parents!" she'd threatened them with the latter multiple times and the two older Grangers were always worried their daughter would go through with her threat. It did nothing to bring them closer together, if anything it pushed them further apart.

Hermione sighed, leaning her arm on the door frame of the car and resting her head in her hand, staring at the passing landscape as her Mother drove them through London. The silence between them had become stifling and it was at that point that Hermione realised how distant she had become from her parents.

"What plans have you for summer Hermione?" her mother asked quietly.

"Ron is going to ask his parents if Harry and I can stay with them for some time," she explained. She heard her mother's dissatisfaction.

"Well your Father and I have arranged for us to visit Italy again this summer. You remember how much you enjoyed visiting the museums in Rome," she told her. Hermione shrugged.

"I was a child; everything is enjoyable when you are so young. Apparently, the Quidditch World Cup is taking place in England this year. As much as I don't enjoy flying there is a great thrill with watching Quidditch. It's a big experience," she explained. She heard Anne sigh.

"Hermione, we haven't seen you for six months and we barely hear from you. Surely you'd like to spend some time with us this summer before you go back to Hogwarts again in September?" she asked her.

Hermione sighed and crossed her arms, choosing to remain silent for a moment in contemplation. To be completely honest she never considered spending time with her adoptive parents. She felt she had less and less in common with them with each passing day. Letters dwindled into short missives every now and then during the school year. She found herself wanting to spend less and less time with her parents and more time in the world where she felt more comfortable.

She considered her answer carefully.

"Mum, I don't really feel overly comfortable in the muggle world anymore. I like being around magic, it makes me feel much more content," she explained. Anne frowned and shook her head.

"Hermione, what can that world offer you that the normal world can't?" she asked, her tone sharp. Hermione scowled and let out a huff of irritation.

"You know I don't like it when you refer to the Muggle world as 'normal'! If anything, the magical world is much more simplistic!" she argued, "To answer your question I actually belong in the Magical world. People accept me for what I can do," she explained.

"Don't you think you are accepted here? All those high schools that were begging to accept you and you chose a strange boarding school up in Scotland. You could have gone to Cambridge Hermione or even Oxford with your intelligence!" she complained. Hermione spared her a quick glance and found her whole body tense in anger. Her fingers paled as they gripped the steering wheel. Hermione sighed.

"You don't understand Mum. You and Dad went to University and met each other doing something you loved to do. Magic is a part of me and it is something I really enjoy. I would have been upset had I not chosen to pursue it," she explained.

Anne shook her head again.

"I really don't understand you Hermione, I'm sorry,"

They remained silent for the rest of the trip back to their home.

As they pulled up onto the drive Hermione spotted the tops of a white gazebo peeking out over their garden fence. Hermione scowled.

"Mum, Dad hasn't decided to make a spectacle of my return has he?" she asked. Anne frowned and shook her head, eyeing the gazebo carefully.

"If he has he certainly hasn't shared it with me," she mumbled, stepping through the front door and into the hallway.

Hermione rolled her eyes and opened the boot of the car, tugging at the strings of Crookshanks' basket. She opened the lid and pulled the orange ball of fur into her arms, burying her nose into his neck. He still smelt a little of the musty dorms of Hogwarts and it made her look forward to the end of summer more and more.

Sighing, she let him down on the floor and watched as he wandered quickly through the front door and into the house, his bottle brush tail waving in the air behind him. She smiled affectionately at him before turning to tackle the heavy trunk when her mother's cry or surprise made her turn quickly on the spot.

She left the trunk and ran through the front door, pulling her wand from her jacket pocket as she went. Holding it before her with the disarming spell at her lips she stopped and frowned when she noticed who was sat at her dining room table.

"Hermione?" he asked in surprise. Hermione stared at him for a moment before shaking herself out of it and pocketing her wand.

"Sirius! What are you doing here? Are you ok? Do you need anything?" she asked in quick succession. Sirius chuckled and shook his head, standing to draw her into a hug.

"I didn't expect to see you here," he said quietly and very gently. Hermione frowned but patted his back slightly, pulling away in confusion.

"What do you mean? Do you need somewhere to stay for a while? I thought you'd left on Buckbeak," she told him. John cleared his throat and crossed his arms.

"His...transport...is in the back garden. I didn't want the neighbours to see so I put up the gazebo," he answered. Hermione nodded and gestured for Sirius to sit again.

"Do you need anything Sirius? Any food or..." she trailed off as he gazed at her, his expression one of awe.

"It really all makes sense now," he said quietly, more to himself. Hermione frowned.

"What do you mean? Are you all right?" she asked. Sirius smiled.

"I am now," he told her. Anne cleared her throat to interrupt the moment.

"Excuse me, I don't mean to be rude but who the hell are you!" she exclaimed. Hermione rolled her eyes and turned to her mother to placate her.

"Mum this is Harry's godfather Sirius," she explained.

"Your daughter and her friends helped me out of a bit of a pickle at Hogwarts before she finished school," he told her. Anne frowned and pointed to him.

"You're that scoundrel that has been on the television all year! That murderer!" she exclaimed. John stood and stepped away from the dark haired man, wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulder.

"Hermione has a level head on her shoulders love. She's not so naive to be friendly with a man who is a murderer. This must be someone entirely different," he calmed her. Hermione shook her head slightly at Sirius, advising him to stay quiet about the truth.

"Like I said, Sirius is Harry's Godfather. He has been...Abroad...for eleven years but has come back to see how he's getting on since his parents passed away," she explained, eyeing the older man. Sirius smirked and gave her a discreet thumb's up. Anne released a harsh breath and crossed her arms.

"Then why is he here? Your friend lives with his Aunt and Uncle, doesn't he?" she asked. Sirius cleared his throat and stood from the couch with a gentle smile.

"When I arrived here Hermione was really the last person I expected to find. It's not an unwelcome surprise though; actually I couldn't be more pleased!" he exclaimed. Hermione frowned.

"You're not really making any sense Sirius," she told him. Sirius smiled.

"Well you're older now so what better time to explain it all to you. Why don't you take a seat, I have a story to tell you," he gestured to the couch. Hermione squinted at him in confusion before gingerly sitting on the couch. Before Sirius began he turned to Anne and John, gesturing to the seat beside their adoptive daughter.

"Perhaps you'd like to take a seat as well?" he asked. Anne huffed but took the seat to the left of Hermione. John stared at the dark haired stranger for a moment in thought before taking a seat on Hermione's other side. Sirius clasped his hands together and cleared his throat.

"I don't know if your parents have told you Hermione, but you are adopted," he began. Hermione felt her heart thud and her eyes widened in surprise. Of course, her parents had told her about her adoption but the question in her mind was how did Sirius know?

"Of course we have told Hermione! What I'd like to know is what this actually has to do with you?" Anne asked rudely.

"Are you...are you my Father?" Hermione asked quietly. Dates and events ran through her mind. She remembered her parents told her they adopted her in the September of 1981, barely a month before Harry's parents were killed and Sirius arrested. Sirius smiled but shook his head.

"No Hermione, I'm not your Father; though I have no doubt I would be the proudest man alive if this was the case. I did, however, spend a lot of time around you when you were very small," he explained. Hermione gasped.

"You...you knew me when I was a child? You know who my parents are? Why did they give me up? Are they a witch and a wizard? Is it because of the first war? Where they friends with Harry's Mum and dad...wait! It's not Harry's mum and dad is it?" she asked in quick succession, her eyes widened in horror. Sirius held his hands up to stem her questions.

"Hermione! One question at a time! Firstly let me confirm that your real parents were not Lily and James...although your personality reminds me a lot of Lily at the moment," he told her. Hermione nodded silently but her eyes still held questions. Sirius released a breath and crossed his arms across his chest.

"I understand you will have a lot of questions, but I need to ask you to allow me to tell you the story first before you ask me any questions," he told her. Hermione nodded and sat back, watching him intently.

"I think it's safe to say your Parents certainly weren't expecting you. They were from two noble pureblooded families who were only expected to create one heir to continue the family line. Your Mother was actually my cousin and was one of three sisters, so multiple births weren't a problem. Your Father, on the other hand, came from a family where only one child was enough to continue the line.

"The truth is, when you came along you brought along a second gift. Your Brother," he explained. Hermione drew a quick breath, staring at him in disbelief.

"I have a twin brother?" she asked him. Sirius nodded.

"Yes. As babies you were inseparable. If the other was not asleep you were often found in each other's company," he told her. Hermione shook her head in disbelief.

"How could I not know I have a twin brother? Surely I'd have felt something!" she exclaimed.

"Twins that grow up together form a strong magical bond. If there is time spent apart then the bond weakens," he explained. Hermione nodded.

"If we are the same age then we will go to Hogwarts together...unless he attends a different school," she gathered. Sirius nodded.

"No, he attends Hogwarts," he answered vaguely. Hermione stared at him for a moment.

"Who is it?" she asked. Sirius cleared his throat.

"Let me continue with my story and then I'll definitely let you know about who your Brother is. Anyway, to cut a very long story short, your Grandfather did not like the idea of your family having a female heir. Although he couldn't disown his only son he cut all ties with him following an argument shortly after you were born. Had your Brother been the older twin and was named heir I think he would have been much happier with that, but a female heir was simply not acceptable to him. Your Parents didn't mind one bit, they loved you dearly; especially your Father. You were his princess and it almost killed him to let you go," he explained. Hermione frowned. Anne scoffed.

"If it almost killed him then why did he do it? From what the case worker told us it was clear that her parents didn't give one hoot about her!" she exclaimed. Sirius scowled.

"I have never seen parents love a child so much! She was very special to them and they did everything in their power to ensure that she could stay with them!" he argued, clearly annoyed at her rude attitude. Hermione placed a hand on her mother's arm to calm her, before turning back to her friend's Godfather.

"If that is the case, then why did they do it?" she asked gently, enthralled in the story.

"Your life was in danger. Your Grandfather gave them a choice; they either allowed You – Know – Who to accept you as his heir or to dispose of you. Neither option was acceptable to them so they began to form a plan to keep you safe and out of the Dark Lord's clutches," he told her. Hermione frowned.

"So, my parents at some point were followers of You Know Who?" she asked.

"Not by choice, I assure you. Your Grandfather expected a lot of your Father and it seemed he didn't have a choice," he answered. John sighed and shook his head.

"There is always a choice. We fought two World Wars because there is always a choice. If there wasn't a choice then we'd all be classed as Nazis by now," he commented. Hermione considered his answer but remained silent, watching Sirius carefully.

"Hermione's Father made the best decision to protect his family. We all may not have agreed with his decision but it was made. Rather than dwell on it we all chose to move past it," he said firmly. Hermione nodded.

"So is that when I was brought here? I suppose it made sense to hide me in the Muggle world," she told him. Sirius sighed and shook his head with a sad smile.

"No, they instead went to one of their close family members for help and guidance. Me," he told her. Hermione's brows rose in surprise but she remained quiet, willing him to explain further.

"I agreed that you couldn't stay with your family. Your Grandfather was the head of the family and if you were still alive come Halloween then he would agree to allow Voldemort have you as his heir. We devised a plan, to name you as another's heir so that when the time came your Grandfather could not dispute it. We figured that as a blood relative, I would have better chance naming you as my heir on the Equinox. We hoped that the earth magic involved with the equinox would help with the changes. At the end of August we agreed that you would come with me so we could bond further before the ritual," he told her. Hermione frowned but nodded. Sirius' gaze saddened further and he rubbed a hand over his face and at the back of his neck.

"What happened, Sirius?" she asked, sensing his rising guilt. He released a breath and stepped towards her, kneeling to her level.

"What you need to understand Hermione, is that in those months of knowing you, you had attached yourself firmly in my heart than any other person had. I was proud to name you as my heir and I couldn't wait to tell my friends about the small person that not only was I protecting but I was welcoming into my family. You were meant to be the light that brought the Blacks out of the darkness," he explained to her. Hermione smiled gently as she felt the love and conviction in his tone. The warmth he radiated as he spoke about his feeling for her could not only be read within his eyes but from his very soul.

"My friends didn't realise how precious you were to me. For all his Gryffindor bravery and loyalty; James Potter was incredibly stubborn in his beliefs. He believed that even at a young age you had the ability to be plot against us and help Voldemort reign supreme. He did not allow us chance to show what a lovely child you were and how willing you were to love. I'm afraid to say that I fell out with my best friend and brother weeks before you were taken from me. The memory of the attack was removed and I knew nothing of the person who had taken you from me. I went to Azkaban not only thinking that I had led my friends to their deaths but I also felt that I had failed you. In fact, it is only recently that I have learnt the truth thanks to Harry's Mother," he told her.

Hermione frowned and sat forward, resting her head on her hand in curiosity. She watched Sirius as he suddenly seemed to battle with his anger and grief.

"I apologise," he stated, rubbing a fierce hand across his face, "The thought of it still upsets me. I am full of conflicting emotions at the moment. I didn't give myself time to think about the implications of what has happened. I just wanted to see you again," he whispered. Hermione smiled gently.

"Take your time Sirius," she said to him. His smile was grateful. Anne shook her head and stood abruptly.

"No, I would rather you say what you need to say and then leave! You are disrupting our family! Regardless of how Hermione came to be here she is ours now and this is where she belongs! Magic obviously isn't powerful enough if it couldn't find one small child who apparently meant so much to you!" she exclaimed. Hermione frowned at her Mother's outburst and she heard her Father sigh.

"Anne, I think Hermione would prefer to know the truth. I know I would like to know how she came to arrive here," he said gently. Anne scowled at her husband.

"She is still ours John! We see her as little as possible during the year as it is and now this man is going to fill her head with silly little thoughts of meeting her real parents. We'll suddenly not be good enough for her because her real parents have magic! Forget the fact that we raised her and gave her a home!" she exclaimed, the pitch of her voice climbing with every breath. Hermione frowned.

"I wouldn't do that," she answered quietly.

"Hermione don't lie to yourself! You have always wanted to meet these parents of yours. To know that they are the reason behind your magic must be very pleasing to you!" Anne spat. Sirius scowled and John stood, taking his wife's arm to turn her away from their daughter.

"You need to get a hold of yourself Anne before you say or do something you'll regret!" he growled. Both her parents stared at each other indignantly for a moment before Anne wrenched her arms from her husband's grip.

"She's been pulling away from us ever since she's learnt about this adoption and you know she has! This is the last piece of information she needs before she pulls away from us completely. How can we compare to a witch and a wizard from her perfect Magical world!" she exclaimed.

Hermione sighed and ran a hand wearily over her face.

"Mum...I just want to know. You're right, this is important to me. I need to know where I come from," she explained quietly. Anne stared at her daughter for a moment before gathering herself together.

"I'll have no further part of this Hermione. I never thought it would come to this but I know exactly what is going to happen. You'll find out who your parents are and then you'll want to meet them. You'll then want to spend a little time with them, just so you know if you have inherited any of their mannerisms. Soon you'll find that your adoptive family simply isn't good enough and cannot compare to your real family and then were would that leave us?" she asked, her eyes watering with sorrow. Hermione frowned.

"You will always be my family," she whispered, croaking on the lump that had suddenly formed within her throat. Anne scoffed once more.

"For how long Hermione? How much of a family have we been since you joined the Wizarding world? You would much rather spend time with your magical friends than with us; imagine how much more perfect magical parents would be. If you continue down this path there is no coming back to me, I'll make that clear right now," she explained firmly. Hermione felt a tear slip down her cheek at her mother's words.

"Why are you saying this Mum?" she asked. Anne withdrew her gaze from her.

"I have lost too many children; too many babies. Your Father and I are still young enough at the moment to adopt again, to find a child that won't have your...attributes," she explained. John stared at his wife in shock, wrapping an arm around Hermione's shoulders.

"Anne, aren't you being a little rash?" he asked quietly, "Hermione is our daughter, no matter what differences we have. It is not up to her to ensure this family stays together; that is our jobs as parents!" he told her. Sirius smiled at him gratefully.

"Look, Hermione still deserves to know the truth no matter what she decides. I know she has a big heart and a huge capacity to love. There is room enough in her heart for you all if you allow it," he told the distraught woman. Anne shook her head.

"I can't simply hang around waiting for her. It might not happen all at once but eventually we will simply be names on a Christmas card list. I couldn't stand that!" she cried. She slumped against the wall with her face in her hands as she cried. John gave Hermione a gentle squeeze before standing to take his wife into his arms to soothe her. She cried loudly into his shoulder. Hermione watched her fearfully, confused at her mother's outburst.

Sirius watched her carefully and sighed, taking the vacant seat beside her.

"I don't know what to do," she whispered. Sirius patted her arm gently.

"You don't have to do anything Hermione, this is still your choice," he told her. Hermione shook her head.

"This is something I have wanted to know for years! To be so close to the truth is so enticing!" she exclaimed quietly, "What she said is right, I haven't felt close to my Parents since I found out about being adopted, more so since going to Hogwarts. I've allowed myself to come away from my parents because I prefer my world to theirs," she whispered in horror. Sirius shook his head.

"You can't be more wrong," he whispered back.

Silence followed as her mother attempted to collect her emotions. She pulled away from her husband, wiping at her eyes with her hands.

"I apologise Hermione, I didn't wish to upset you," she told her. Hermione nodded silently. Anne sighed and sat beside her daughter, taking her hand in her own, "I feel like such a failure as a woman, my body will not accept any children that your Father can give me. Watching you cling to the magical world and become more comfortable with it makes me realise those fears. It means I cannot keep hold of you too," she explained gently. Hermione turned to her mother and wrapped her arms around her.

"I would never let that happen Mum. Even if I got to know my real parents you will always be special to me," she whispered. Anne cupped her daughter's curly head and wrapped her free arm around her tightly. Sirius smiled and stood again, clearing his throat.

"Do you want me to continue with the story Hermione?" he asked her. Hermione pulled away and stared at her mother questioningly. Anne released a shaky breath, offering a feeble smile before giving a short nod. Hermione's eyes brightened and she turned to Sirius expectedly. Sirius nodded and took a deep breath.

"When Buckbeak and I...left...Hogwarts, we travelled to a friend's house. Once we arrived I was surprised to find a letter waiting there for me," he began. He placed his hand into the pocket of his dirty robes and withdrew a folded piece of parchment, holding it out for her. Hermione took it into her hands.

"You can tell from the texture of the Parchment that the letter is rather dated. When I read it I suddenly realised why," he motioned for her to unfold the letter to read it.

"May I?" she asked. He nodded.

She unfolded the parchment, frowning at the unrecognisable handwriting. She cleared her throat and read the letter aloud.

 _Dear Sirius_

 _If you receive this letter then James and I are most likely dead. I did promise him that I would keep his secret for as long as we were alive, so I charmed this letter to arrive to you as soon as you were ready to receive it. It wouldn't be fair to burden you with this news so soon after out death, I need to make sure that you are sound enough to understand what I am about to explain._

 _I haven't been completely honest with you Sirius and for that I apologise. When you came to me and I looked into your memories to find your attacker I told you that I did not know the identity of who took Aurora from you. To be completely honest, I lied. I managed to get one glance of your attacker and the shock of his identity forced me into silence. I only ask that you completely finish reading this before you lose your temper._

 _James was the man who took Aurora away from you and obliviated you. I was so disgusted with him and so angry. He explained that he feared your future with her and her family; he didn't understand what you had been telling us the whole time. He was terrified that he was losing you; he had been your family for so long! He was scared that with you becoming friendlier with your family you would not be bothered about him. Of course, I told him it was ridiculous but it was too late. He had gotten Dumbledore involved and he helped to relocate her._

 _It's taken me a couple of weeks but I'd managed to get the address of the couple that Dumbledore has left her with. James explained that as Aurora is a magical child her Muggle parents will not have any claim on her. He feels incredibly guilty that he has dragged two innocent Muggles into this but Dumbledore felt this was the best course for her._

 _Her address is 125 Killington Court, West London W15 3ER._

 _I hope you can bring yourself to forgive him. As I mentioned, he only did this because he thought it would be better for you. I am so sorry Sirius._

 _All my Love, Lily x_

 _P.S Thank you for taking such good care of Harry for us, I knew you were the right choice as his Godfather._

Hermione stared at the aged parchment in shock. She was a conflict of emotions. She felt anger at the actions of her friends Father and the Headmaster she had seen as a beacon of light through any darkness. She felt sorrow that Lily couldn't be honest with Sirius from the beginning, and that they had to wait eleven years before the truth was told. She felt a tear slip down her cheek and she hastily wiped at it, swallowing past the second lump that had formed in her throat that day.

"I have spent the last twelve years buried in emotions of regret and guilt. I felt responsible for not only the deaths of my two best friends but the loss of a little girl that had lit a fire within my heart. Reading that letter has thrown all those emotions into the air…I don't know what to feel any more," Sirius told her.

"The case worker told us that her Parents weren't in a position to look after her. When we asked why he mentioned that they had been involved in criminal activity and were in the process of being arrested. We didn't need any further explanation because when we saw her we thought she was perfect," John explained quietly. Sirius smiled.

"You should have seen her before the glamour was added. I have never seen such a beautiful little girl," he commented. Hermione felt her cheeks flame at the compliment.

"I have a glamour on me?" she asked. Sirius nodded but didn't explain further. Hermione released a breath and rubbed a hand over her face. Meeting Sirius' trusting blue eyes she frowned.

"So what happens now?" she asked. Sirius shrugged.

"It's entirely up to you Hermione. We have gotten so far, you know your parents are magic, you have a twin brother and you know the reason that you were left with your muggle family. By all rights you have found out what you have always wanted to know, we can leave it there entirely and you can continue your summer with your parents," he gestured to Anne and John who kept a cautious eye on their daughter.

Hermione sighed.

"Will that be enough though?" she asked quietly. John patted her arm and gave her a comforting smile.

"Listen, whatever you decide Hermione your Mother and I will support your decision. Everyone deserves to know who their real family is," he told her. Hermione stared at him and quickly glanced at her mother for confirmation. Anne hesitated before she reluctantly gave a short nod in agreement. Hermione took her mother's hand and gave it a silent squeeze in thanks before turning expectedly back to the dark haired man. Sirius' smile widened.

"My cousin; Your Mother; was given the name Narcissa Black when she was born. She was a little older than me but we always got along as children. When she married your father I half expected her to turn into a dark witch, just like my family would have preferred. I took the chance and went to meet with her, met you and your brother and found that Narcissa's husband wasn't as evil as I originally anticipated," he explained. Hermione nodded but chose to remain silent. Sirius released a breath.

"I want you to think about this with an open mind before you make any assumptions, will you do that for me?" he asked.

Hermione bit her lip uncertainly but nodded.

"Your Mother married Lucius Malfoy. Your birth name is Aurora Laurette Malfoy and your brother is Draco Malfoy."

Silence followed his statement. Hermione stared at him, shock freezing her system and her mind. John frowned and turned to his still daughter.

"Malfoy…Didn't you say that was the name of that nasty boy at your school that calls you names?" he asked. Hermione nodded mutely.

"I Imagine Draco acts like that because Hermione reminds him a lot of the sister that he has lost. I never told Narcissa that you had been taken by Muggles but I assume they attempted to use their contacts in the Wizarding world to see if you had been relocated with another magical family. I imagine if they were unable to locate you then they assumed you had been hidden with Muggles," he explained. Hermione frowned.

"It's still no excuse for him to act like such a bully. As if he is better than everyone else because he is at the bottom of a long magical family tree!" Hermione exclaimed. Sirius grinned.

"I agree Hermione! My whole family thought they were better than any Muggleborn that entered into Hogwarts. Like I said, I really thought that Narcissa would be just the same but she surprised me," he told her. Hermione looked down at her clenched hands, disappointment surging through her body. Sirius sighed, "Hermione, all you can do is give them a chance. You were the light breaking through a rather dark family and without you they faltered. I'm sure with your influence there will be room for them to change," he explained.

Hermione heaved a heavy sigh, suddenly feeling nervous and anxious.

"What if they aren't prepared to change? What if they only see Hermione the Mudblood?" she whispered. Sirius leant forward and took his hands into her own. She looked up into his shining blue eyes, reading the love that he held for her.

"I will not let that happen. I promise."

* * *

 **Thank you for reading! Love to everyone xoxox**


	5. When a Family is Reunited

**AN - I think Apologies are in order. I am so sorry this chapter has taken me four weeks to complete! In my defense, it was a difficult chapter and I wanted to make sure that It was just right. I have also been really busy with work and other homey things but please fear not - it is here now. I have already got a jump start on the next chapter so you should see that sometime next week.**

 **I want to take this opportunity also to thank each and every review that I have been given. I know it isn't about writing just to get a review, it is something I really enjoy doing but It is a bonus when you know there are other's who are enjoying your work. I appreciate every comment and all feedback - so thanks again.**

 **Without Further ado: Chapter five**

 **Much Love xoxo**

 **Chapter 5:- When a Family is Reunited**

Hermione found herself sat silently in a different lounge, awkwardly staring around at the unfamiliar surroundings. It had taken some persuasion on Sirius' part to have her come and see her real family, understandably because of her current attitude towards them.

She had expected; from the way that Draco had bragged about his family, a grand home with marble floors and stone pillars. She never expected a modest home with comfortable furniture and family photographs. It had an incredible homey feel to it. She watched the photographs move occasionally; a younger Draco was lifted onto his Father's shoulders and a young woman (who Hermione assumed was her mother) took the image of the younger boy into her arms and kissed his blonde head lovingly.

The third photograph on the mantelpiece surprised her. It was an image of two children, both in a sitting position with toothless smiles on their faces. Both seemed similar in appearance however the child on the left wore a red and silver dress and had a red silk bow within their hair. She watched as a pair of hands slipped into the frame from the top of the photograph and took the smaller hands into their own, waving them towards the camera. Hermione felt a smile slip onto her lips at the familial image.

Sirius watched her, amused by her obvious surprise.

"I was exactly the same when I first came to visit. The house is extremely normal…for a Malfoy that is," he explained with a smirk. Hermione gave him a sheepish grin at being caught. She shrugged her shoulder.

"I'm still finding it difficult to find all this believable. Yesterday, my Brother made sure to call me a Mudblood once more before slamming the door to our compartment shut. Today he's actually a boy who I had an extremely close relationship with as a baby. It's as though I've stepped into an alternative reality!" she told him.

Sirius nodded in understanding, taking a seat on the empty armchair across from her. He grimaced as he noticed the clash of his robes against the cream material.

"Cissa would kill me if she caught me sitting on her furniture wearing these robes," he stated, quickly backpedaling when her eyes widened in fear; "Figuratively of course."

Hermione took a deep breath and released it slowly, resting her arms on her knees and bowing her head. She closed her eyes, drawing on her Gryffindor courage to work past the nerves. Sirius smiled at her warmly, leaning across to place a hand on her arm comfortingly.

"Hermione, I have told you before; nothing is expected of you. Your Parents will understand that things will be difficult for you until you acclimatize. You need to give yourself time and a lot of patience," he explained gently, "You will all make mistakes and I imagine there will be plenty of arguments to come but you're a family, you will work through them and come together," he said.

"I always had a feeling that my real parents were magic. I knew there was something a little different about me, even after I became a Witch. I just feel like my whole life has been a lie. Yesterday I was just a regular Muggleborn who wanted to excel at magic. Now I am the heir of the Malfoy family, Pureblooded and apparently not from an evil a family as I first thought," she told him. Sirius nodded with a patient and understanding smile.

"I imagine it is such a maddening prospect. What you will eventually come to realize is that your Families' attitude towards Muggles has not derived from a foolish pureblood supremacy, but from the knowledge that you were taken from them and lost in the muggle world. When I last spoke to your parents they couldn't care less about the Muggle world. The cared about you dearly though Hermione," he explained.

Hermione nodded, wringing her fingers together with nerves. She bit her lip and gave him an uncertain glance.

"What if they don't like me?" she whispered.

Sirius gave her a sympathetic look and took her hands within his own.

"What is there not to like? You are intelligent, powerful, loyal and have a great sense of bravery and love. You are everything they wanted in a daughter," he told her. Hermione chewed on her lower lip thoughtfully. Sirius shook his head, "Hermione, stop thinking so much! You are a product of Lucius and Narcissa's love. If you have changed it is only with age and maturity. The more I look at you and speak to you; the more Aurora makes herself more present," he explained. Hermione smiled at the mention of her real name and scoffed.

"Aurora? Who'd have thought that the Malfoys would have named their child after a muggle fairytale Princess!" she exclaimed. Sirius gave her a bemused expression followed by a warm smile.

"To Lucius, you were his Princess before you were born. I am sure it will be this way again soon."

Suddenly, a 'pop' was heard as the small house elf that had greeted them re appeared into the room.

"Madam Malfoy will be right with you Lord Black. Shes is just finishing in the garden," Its high pitched voice squeaked; Hermione detected a tone of excitement. Sirius offered the small creature a warm smile and a nod of his head.

"How did she seem Tinker?" he asked kindly. The small elf reached up to play with one of its pointed ears as it beamed at the dark haired man.

"Mistress is very excited and happy Lord Black. Me thinks Mistress will be glad to sees you again," it answered. Sirius chuckled.

"Thank you Tinker."

The elf turned its large violet eyes to Hermione, its gaze expectant, "Can Tinker be getting Young Mistress anything?" it asked. Its tone held respect and it bowed its head dutifully.

Hermione stared at the creature in surprise, one; because she had never met such a being before and two because she was unused to the extreme loyalty that bled from it. She glanced hesitantly at Sirius who gave her a nod of encouragement.

"I am ok, thank you," she answered quietly, Tinker's eyes widened before she disappeared with another 'pop'. Hermione stared at the empty space for a moment in surprise.

"Why did she call me 'Young Mistress'?" she asked, her voice almost a whisper.

"Tinker was a very young elf when you and Draco were born. She has belonged to the Malfoy family now for over fourteen years. Your Mother explained that she was a gift from your Father's Mother when your Parents purchased the property," Sirius explained, "She was born within the walls of Malfoy Manor so her magic recognises the blood of the family she serves," he told her. Hermione frowned.

"So...she's a servant?" she asked quietly. Sirius winced at the sharpness of her tone, immediately reminded of his cousin's potential anger.

"It sounds barbaric; I agree, but what you need to understand with House Elves is that service to a family is what keeps a House Elf's magic strong. They are essentially bred to serve a magical family; this is a completely normal way of life for them. Most House elves are treated so well by their families that they are wholly devoted to them," he explained.

Hermione nodded, listening intently. She enjoyed learning new information, especially about the world she truly belonged in.

Suddenly, she heard the opening of a door in a different room. Her eyes widened as Sirius gave her an excited grin. She panicked, taking the older man's fingers in a vice like grip. Sirius winced.

"I can't do this Sirius," she whispered, turning her gaze to the open doorway. Sirius managed to release his fingers from her grip, placing them on her shoulders with a soothing manner.

"Hermione you can do this. You just need to relax," he attempted to calm her but Hermione shook her head.

"She's going to walk in here and she's going to hate me," she told him. Sirius shook his head with a gentle smile.

"She will not hate you. She'll be so happy that I've found you," he explained, Hermione chewed on her lip, unable to believe him. Sirius sighed, "You stay in here, I will go and meet her and introduce you, ok?" he asked. Hermione thought for a moment and nodded with a small smile. Sirius have her an affirmative nod before turning and stepping through the open door, closing it until only a crack remained. Hermione stepped to the door and held her breath, listening intently. The butterflies erupted within her stomach when she heard a female voice.

"When we gave you the title 'Serious Trouble' we certainly did not expect for you to live up to the name."

The voice was very lyrical. Hermione thought it held a melodic tone to it. It was gentle with a teasing yet emotional lilt. She heard Sirius bark a laugh at her joke.

"Where have you been Sirius? I told you that you would always have help here! You should have come to us once you'd escaped that hell hole!" she exclaimed. Hermione heard Sirius sigh before replying.

"I had some things I needed to settle. Pettigrew was at Hogwarts with Harry, I couldn't allow him to stay near him a second longer. He's still my Godson and the deaths of his parents needed to be avenged," he explained. Hermione heard Narcissa sigh.

"As much as I admire that Sirius I still wish you'd have thought about this properly," she told him. She heard Sirius scoff.

"What, and face Lucius' wrath? I'm sure he hasn't forgotten what I have done to your family," he said, his tone dark with self guilt. She heard Narcissa tut.

"Of course we haven't forgotten!" she snapped, "You took our daughter and cared for her when we could not! I have told you it was no fault of yours that she was taken and you were attacked!" she exclaimed.

"I'm sure your husband doesn't see it that way," he murmured.

"Sirius please, stop. Lucius was angry, yes; but let me assure you his anger was not placed with you but at the evil individual who took her from you," she explained. Hermione heard the pain in the woman's voice and felt her heart thump painfully in her chest at the raw emotion.

"I still feel like I needed to make it up to you. It was the second item on my itinerary when I left Azkaban. Find Wormtail and make sure Harry is safe, Find Aurora and return her to you," he explained. Hermione felt the butterflies erupt within her stomach with anxiety. She heard Narcissa hold her breath for a moment before releasing it slowly.

"Sirius, she is lost. You may have been unable to continue looking for her when you were arrested but Lucius and I never stopped. It's been nearly twelve years; we are so tired of following a promising lead and then falling at the last hurdle. I don't think my heart can take any more," Narcissa told him sadly. Hermione stared at the bleached wood of the door, feeling a tear slide down her cheek at the genuine sadness in her real Mother's voice. She had never thought about how her real Parents would feel about this, about her walking back into their lives.

"Narcissa...I don't know what to say," Sirius said quietly, "I suppose I should start by saying Lily Potter should be given another post death medal for her honesty and friendship," he began.

"Why is that?" Narcissa asked.

"Because she'd left me something for whenever I was 'ready to receive it'. Whilst I was in Azkaban I was so focussed on my grief and innocence that the charm she placed on this letter did not believe that I was 'ready' to receive it. Once I knew that Wormtail was no where near Harry, the letter suddenly appeared."

Hermione heard the sound of the unfolding of parchment.

"Here, I think you should read this. It will explain everything," Sirius offered. Hermione held her breath as silence fell around the room.

After moments of thick anxiety and nerves Hermione's heart lurched when she heard Narcissa give an emotional cry.

"She's really still alive?" she whispered through tears.

"Yes, she's alive and living with a muggle couple. They adopted her officially when she was given to them." Sirius explained gently.

"Oh my goodness...I wonder if she is happy? She must go to Hogwarts now, I wonder if she and Draco know of each other? Do you think she'd be willing to learn the truth?" she asked rapidly. She heard Sirius chuckle.

"Narcissa, you don't even know who she is," he said gently.

"I don't care! She'll always be my daughter no matter who she is or what she's like!" Narcissa exclaimed passionately. Hermione stared at the door in shock. She heard Sirius chuckle.

"Well that's good to hear," he said quietly.

"I've lost so much time with her," she whispered, "Do you think we'd get along?" she asked, more to herself.

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Sirius asked. Hermione swallowed the sudden nerves.

"I couldn't go to her until Lucius was here. He will be so happy that you have found her Sirius; he'd want to be there when we go to see her," she explained softly. Hermione heard heavy steps move closer to her hiding place. She braced herself.

"Well that certainly is a shame. I happen to know she's willing to meet with you, right now," he explained. Heavy silence met his words. Hermione could hear her heart thud in her chest.

"I don't understand Sirius," Narcissa murmured. The door shifted before Hermione's eyes as Sirius grasped the handle from the opposite side.

"Tinker told you that you had _guests_ waiting for you in the house, didn't she? I may have been incarcerated for some time but I'm sure I remember guests meant more than one person," he began.

"Sirius..." Narcissa said slowly, realisation taking her tone.

"I made a promise to you Narcissa. I _always_ keep my promises," he whispered.

Suddenly, the door swung open, bathing Hermione in the bright day light. She winced slightly as her pupils reacted to the sudden brightness. She heard a faint gasp.

As her eyes adjusted she took her first glance at her real mother. She looked no different from the photographs on the mantel, just slightly older. Her blonde hair was pulled half from her face, wrapped together in a pretty knot behind her head. Her blue eyes, dark like sapphires, glinted with raw emotion. Her lip quivered as she drank the vision of her lost daughter.

"Narcissa, this is Hermione Granger. I'm sure you've heard about her from Draco," Sirius introduced gently. Narcissa took a deep breath and dragged her gaze back to her cousin.

"We have certainly heard a lot about Miss Granger. It makes a lot more sense now," she whispered emotionally. She visibly swallowed and returned her gaze to the young girl, "It's lovely to meet you Hermione," she said politely. Hermione nodded and took a deep breath.

"Sirius told me that my real name is...Aurora," she stated. Narcissa offered her a small smile.

"Yes...our families had a thing for Latin and constellations. Lucius and I couldn't agree so we picked names which had both," she explained.

"My parent's picked the 'Dog Star' for my name. Rather apt don't you think?" Sirius said, winking boyishly at them. Hermione grinned when the image of his animagus form came to her mind.

"It's a lovely name," she answered. Narcissa nodded.

"We thought so," she said.

Silence followed as Narcissa simply stared at her. Her eyes flitted over every part of her face, frowning as she tried to find some resemblance to her baby.

Sirius cleared his throat when he noticed Hermione becoming uncomfortable. Narcissa shook her head.

"Forgive me Hermione. I'm trying to place you with the child I once knew," she whispered. Hermione glanced at Sirius briefly who offered her a smile and a nod of encouragement.

"Sirius explained that I may have had some sort of charm placed upon me to disguise my true features. We aren't too sure what they will have used but perhaps we can try to find a way around it?" she asked gently. Narcissa's eyes brightened and her lips spread into a warm smile.

"I think this is an excellent idea," she answered. She took a hesitant step towards the younger girl. Hermione forced her body to remain still, fighting the urge to step away. Narcissa read her uncomfort and held her hands out.

"Despite what you have been told about us Hermione, I do not want to hurt you," she reassured, "I have not had the chance to hold my daughter in such a long time; I find the urge to wrap my arms around you and never release you simply overwhelming," she explained. Hermione swallowed and took a deep breath, releasing it with a shudder of emotion.

"I'm not her...not yet anyway. I have so many questions to ask you," she told her. Narcissa nodded and gestured to the lounge.

"Why don't we sit and just talk. You can ask me anything you like. Lucius and Draco are at the Minestry today and are not expected back until well after dinner," she told them. Hermione nodded and placed herself beside her friend's Godfather. Sirius gave a hopeful smile to his cousin and guided the younger girl back into the lounge.

Narcissa took a deep breath, closing her eyes briefly in relief. She allowed herself a silent moment before clicking her fingers. Tinker appeared before her.

"Yes Mistress?" she asked dutifully. Narcissa opened her eyes and smiled warmly at the smaller creature.

"Please can you prepare tea for three? It's going to be a long afternoon," she asked. Tinker nodded dutifully and scampered further into the kitchen. Narcissa took another reassuring breath before striding into the lounge to join her cousin and her daughter.

Hermione planted herself on the sofa at Sirius' side. She watched the older woman nervously, threading her fingers together on her lap. Narcissa sat on the arm chair across from them.

"Hermione," Sirius began, "You said you had questions to ask your Mother?" he asked gently. Hermione took a deep breath and released it slowly, nodding in agreement. Narcissa leant forward with interest, offering a warm comforting smile.

"You can ask me anything Hermione," she said gently. Hermione nodded, contemplating.

"I've always known that I was adopted. My parents told me when I was seven. What I could never understand was why...but now Sirius has explained that to me. I suppose the question that is still in my mind is...How? How could you allow all this to happen?" she asked quietly. The smile dropped from Narcissa's face as she contemplated on the correct answer.

After a moment she folded her hands on her lap to address her.

"With extreme difficulty. I'm sure Sirius told you how difficult Lucius' Father was and how traditional he was. He firmly believed that Lucius and I should not have given birth to twins, never mind a female child. I am sure he would have been acceptable of the situation had Draco been the elder of the two of you but you must have been more insistent. You were born first and Lucius and I was adamant that we would not lie about your birth right. You were going to be the Malfoy Heir and we hoped this would bring the Malfoy family into a better light. Of course, your Grandfather found out and offered the most difficult ultimatum and we did our best to find the right path to avoid losing you," she explained. Hermione nodded with a frown.

"Why didn't you go into hiding? Why not just run away with us?" she asked.

"Abraxas was rather adamant that we make a decision. With the Dark Lord on his side we knew it would not take them too long and we would have been found. The Dark Lord wanted to name you his heir, he'd heard of your power and wanted to mould you into his own weapon. He would have done that with our without you there," Narcissa said. She smiled fondly, "You think very much like your Father did, he simply wanted to run away too," she added. Sirius snorted.

"He's have rather run than allow you to stay with me," He said. Narcissa smirked.

"I soon changed his mind. It was not the safer option and I was not willing to risk the lives of our family and a quick decision," she said. Hermione released a breath with a nod. Her mother was right really, no matter how much you wanted to look at it. Her own experience with 'You Know Who' showed that he was not one to let something go, if there was will there was certainly a way.

"I think I understand. I'll admit, there has been many times over the years where I have wondered why you didn't want me. It will take some time for me to be comfortable but I am certainly willing to try, you are my family after all," she said. Narcissa grinned and gave a silent nod, unable to stop herself from reaching forward to grasp her daughters hand.

"That is all I ask Hermione. We will not push you into anything you find uncomfortable, we will take this one step at a time," she said. Hermione nodded.

"I promised my parents that I will not forget them. They may only be muggles to you but they have brought me up for the last eleven years and I have already drifted apart from them because I am at Hogwarts most of the year. I know I am your daughter and I know you did not choose for me to be left with Muggles but...you must understand I do love them-"

Narcissa held a hand to stem her panicked words.

"Hermione, it would be an honour of ours to meet the couple who raised such an intelligent and promising young witch. From what I have heard from Draco you are extremely loyal, very intelligent and certainly know your way around a wand. You are not afraid to stand for what you believe; which is something I greatly admire. You have a strength that I always hoped you would have. You have a good heart, one that will only allow your strength to be used to help others. Perhaps your muggle parents helped mould this in a way we would not have been able. Perhaps we shall learn great things from you and them. You need not fear us taking you away from them; they are as much a part of you as Lucius and I," she explained.

Hermione released a long held breath, nodding in relief. Narcissa smiled offering her hand a small squeeze. Hermione looked back to the photographs on the mantel.

"Sirius said I was very beautiful when I was younger. It's probably a foolish question but I have wondered...what did I look like?" she asked. Narcissa grinned and stood, drawing out her wand. Hermione stiffened unconsciously, only relaxing when Sirius' hand patted her own. She forced herself to relax as Narcissa waved her wand silently at the bare wall behind them. Hermione and Sirius twisted in their seats and collectively gasped at the photographs that suddenly appeared.

"Great Merlin," Sirius whispered, "They're all of you," he admitted. Hermione's eyes widened as her eyes flicked to each photograph of the same blonde haired baby from the photo on the mantel. Narcissa smiled sadly.

"It was my first project when Sirius took you. We wanted to feel that you were still here with us so Lucius and I had the photographs created and placed on the wall. We would often sit together in the evenings, share a bottle of wine and simply look at them," she explained. Her smiled dropped slowly as she continued, "When Sirius was arrested and we were unable to find you, Lucius could not bear to look upon them. He instructed the house elves to place a concealment charm upon them whenever he was likely to be in the house. When I am here alone I often remove the charm, just so I can remember how much of a lovely child you were."

Hermione chose to remain silent as she stared at the photographs. She mentally compared the photos to the ones of her at similar ages that were displayed in her home with the Grangers. She frowned.

"I look so different," she said. Narcissa frowned.

"Surely the difference is simply with hair and eye colour, it should be simple to remove if you wished," she said. Hermione shook her head and stood, pointing to a later picture. The photo would have been taken just before she was taken, as she was certainly toddling around quite independently.

"I have seen a similar photograph at home. It doesn't move obviously, but I am stood beside my parents in front of our Christmas tree. It is labelled on the back 'Hermione's first Christmas' so I imagine that it would not have been long after they officially adopted me. In that photo I do not look as tall or as slim. I have rather long legs in this photograph," she explained. Sirius frowned.

"Are you trying to say that the charm they placed on you was not just a simple glamour? That they changed your physical structure as well?" he asked. Hermione nodded grimly.

"I don't think it's going to be as simple as 'removing' a glamour charm," she said. Sirius growled and shook his head. Hermione moved to his side and placed a hand on his arm.

"Sirius, it wasn't your fault," she said. Sirius sighed.

"I really don't understand why they would do this. They were meant to be leaders of the light! That didn't mean they should have tried to push out anything with the potential for darkness!" he exclaimed. Narcissa stood at his other side, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"To some, there is only black or white. There are no shades in between," she explained. Hermione frowned.

"The Headmaster has a lot to answer for," she whispered. Sirius and Narcissa shared a look at her dark tone. Sirius patted the hand on his arm.

"We will have our explanation from him when the time is right. He will not get away with taking you from me, I promise you that Hermione," he said. Hermione nodded silently. She turned to her mother.

"Do I still have a bedroom here?" she asked. Narcissa's eyes widened and her cheeks blushed.

"Of course! I kept myself busy through the years by spending your Father's money on re decorating it to how I felt you would have liked it at your current age at the time," she explained. Hermione smiled.

"May I see it?" she asked. Narcissa appeared flustered for a moment before nodding gently.

"You'll have to forgive me Hermione, I have not had chance to Update it since last summer. Draco insists that I wait until he returns from school before I begin so he can assist me. It is still decorated for that of a twelve year old girl," she explained. Hermione giggled.

"Forgive me. Draco helps you decorate? That doesn't seem like him at all!" she exclaimed. Narcissa smiled.

"It is our annual tradition. I believe it helps him feel some form of closeness with you," she explained quietly. Hermione sobered, trying to vision her new brother decorating a bedroom to stay close to his lost sister. She met her Mother's gaze.

"Please show me," she whispered. Narcissa smiled and gestured to the stairs. Hermione turned to the dark haired man.

"Are you coming Sirius?" she asked. Sirius smiled gently and gestured to the stairs.

"I think this is something you should do with your Mother Hermione. Besides, I have an irrational fear of girls bedrooms," he said. Hermione frowned and Narcissa smirked.

"Surely all those times of playing 'dress up' when we were children didn't put you off?" she asked coyly. Sirius shuddered.

"You see what your Mother did to me?! I'm mentally scarred for life!" he exclaimed. Hermione giggled and shook her head, turning to climb the stairs.

Once Narcissa had instructed her to the correct door she was stunned at first by the silver wording on the door.

 _'Aurora's Room'_

She traced the name on the door with her finger, a small smile settling on her lips.

"That's lovely," she said quietly. Narcissa smiled at her before reaching for the silver door knob and pushing the door open to allow her daughter to step inside. Hermione stepped over the threshold and allowed her eyes to slowly make their way around her childhood bedroom.

"It's...charming," she said, eyeing the lilac colours of the room. The room was decorated just as she'd ever imagined a female Malfoy's room to be decorated. It was incredibly feminine. The walls were painted a pale lilac, accented with white linen and curtains. The wooden dresser and wardrobe was painted white with silver knobs on the drawers and doors. There was a wooden desk with a lilac cushioned chair beside a small wooden bookcase.

Hermione wandered over to the bookcase and smiled at the childish titles. She was surprised to find muggle fairytales and turned to the blonde haired woman who had been watching her fondly.

"Fairytales?" she asked. Narcissa nodded.

"You were extremely fond of them. Both you and Draco could sit for hours whilst we read to you," she explained briefly. Hermione nodded silently, sitting on the desk chair. She took a deep breath, suddenly overwhelmed. Narcissa gave her a brief glance of concern as she moved to stand behind her. The desk held a mirror on a wooden stand, tilted to show their reflections. Narcissa placed a hesitant hand on Hermione's head and allowed it to slide down the brown curls, running her flingers through it. Hermione closed her eyes in content at the action. Narcissa grinned.

"Further proof that you are certainly my daughter. Aurora could not go a day without having her hair stroked," she explained. Hermione smiled gently, enjoying the gentle hand in her hair.

"My Dad said he had to do it to help me sleep," she said. Narcissa nodded.

"You were a little more difficult to put down than your brother. Your Father had to lay you on his chest with your head just above his heart. He'd pat your pack and run a hand through your hair and you would be asleep in moments," Narcissa explained. Hermione opened her eyes and caught the blue gaze in the mirror.

"I don't know how to think of myself as her. I still see us as two different people," she admitted quietly. Narcissa's gaze never wavered, her smile remained.

"I know. I believe your memories may have been erased following your time with us," she answered. Hermione frowned.

"Surely all children lose their memories from when they were very young," she said. Narcissa shook her head.

"If you asked Draco to name each and every activity he performed with his sister he could tell you of every single one. Magical children can relate memories to feelings. When they feel strongly about something or someone then they can keep that memory locked away forever. Once upon a time, you loved us Hermione. We were everything to you; an incredible mind like yours would not simply forget," she explained. Hermione nodded silently, processing the information.

"At the moment all I can remember is each and every encounter I have had with Draco and his Father. Each one coated with loathing and distaste. If what you say is true I'm sure all the bad memories can be remembered also," she said. Narcissa sighed sadly.

"There was no one more proud of becoming a Father than Lucius. He was the perfect doting husband and he ensured that all my needs were met during my pregnancy. When you and Draco came along he was a loving Father, he would have given you the world. As much as he would refuse to believe it, I believe I can safely say between the two of you; you were your Father's favourite. When you'd gone and we were unable to find you he was crushed. He put everything into making sure Draco received anything and everything he wanted and no amount of arguing or discouragement would stop him. I raised Draco as humbly as possible, but when your husband believed he can buy his son anything his heart desires it is difficult to teach him any different. Draco grew up knowing what he wanted, and if he didn't get what he wanted it was out of the norm. I am afraid it has altered his attitude when he is not here at home," she explained, "I have heard of how Draco can be at school and I have told him time and time again that he needs to mind his manners but I do believe his attitude does get the better of him unfortunately."

Hermione nodded briefly, a part of her unwilling to believe that her brother could be any different. Sometimes, it felt like Draco went out of his way to be intentionally cruel to Hermione and her friends. She met her mother's gaze once more.

"And Mr Malfoy?" she asked hesitantly. Narcissa turned to sit on the bed, sighing sadly.

"He was once a cruel boy, until he learnt to truly love someone. He made the decision to forget anything his Father taught him when we found we were expecting you. You were a light in his life Hermione, and when you were gone that light dimmed. He is a man made full of bad choices and at the moment he cannot seem to make the right one," she explained.

Hermione was about to discuss her Father further when a chime and a roar of flames was heard from downstairs. Narcissa's eyes widened and her gaze snapped to the door, listening intently.

"Narcissa! A little assistance!" Sirius' voice shouted to them. Hermione stood and leapt to the door, wrenching it open to help her friend's Godfather. Narcissa followed quickly.

"Hermione, wait a moment," she said after her. They stopped at the foot of the stairs, watching wide eyed at the two new occupants in the room.

"It seems your Father and Brother has decided to come home early," Narcissa whispered, she cleared her throat at addressed her husband, "Lucius, I am surprised to find you and Draco home so early. I expected you to take him flying once your business at the Minestry was completed," she said casually. Lucius quickly drew his wand from the head of his cane, pointing it at Sirius whilst pushing the smaller blonde haired teenager behind him. His mouth was drawn in a thin line and his face was pale, barely keeping a check on his anger. Sirius raised his hands in a sign of defence.

Narcissa placed a hand on Hermione shoulder in support, frowning at her unresponsive husband.

"Lucius, please do not threaten guests in our home," she said quietly but firmly. Lucius kept his gaze and his wand trained on the dark haired man, the flex of his fingers and the subtle shift of his shoulders showing that he had heard his wife's instruction.

"He's a wanted criminal Narcissa. He has recently escaped from capture at Hogwarts is Severus' ranting proves correctly," he snapped. Sirius smirked and shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh dear, has poor old Snivellous been speaking about me? I do hope I've done enough to severely rattle his cage. I suspect the Greasy Git won't receive his reward for capturing me now considering they no longer have a prisoner! Crying on your shoulder was he?" he asked. Lucius grit his teeth and poked his wand further into the man's neck. Hermione moved to step forward but Narcissa's hand gripped her shoulder firmly to keep her in place.

"Sirius, if you want my help you will not insult our friends, is that understood?" she reprimanded. Sirius sarcastically brought a hand slowly to his head and saluted her in understanding. Narcissa rolled her eyes at her cousin's mischievousness and regarded her husband, "Lucius, I explained to you many years ago that Sirius was innocent. Unfortunately, due to the lack of evidence we were unable to have him removed from Azkaban," she explained. Lucius snarled in anger, the wand in his hand trembling with the tightness of his hold.

"He still has one debt to be repaid," he hissed. Sirius frowned.

"If you'd calm down and have a look around you'd see that the debt has been paid in full and is currently standing beside your wife!" he snapped. Lucius paused, but kept his wand pointed at him. His mind attempted to distinguish Sirius' words; trying to think through his blinding anger. Draco's sudden tone of disbelief cleared his mind.

"Granger?"

Hermione took a deep breath, emboldened by her mother's support, and gave a small unsure smile. At that point she realised Narcissa was going to be the most welcoming out of the three Malfoys. Narcissa's hand continued to sit on her shoulder, offering further strength.

"What are you doing here?" Draco asked, sneering at her. Narcissa frowned at her Son's tone and cleared her throat, gaining the younger boy's attention.

"Since when was it acceptable in this house Draco, to speak to guests in such a way that you have just displayed? Surely you have been raised better than that!" she exclaimed. Draco's scowl dropped but his gaze remained petulant. Her gaze then snapped back to her husband in anger, "Lucius, lower your wand; you are setting a bad example to our children," she snapped.

Lucius slowly lowered his wand as his gaze settled on the brown haired girl.

"You do not need to treat Draco like an infant Narcissa, he merely asked a question," he told her. Narcissa's frown did not waver.

"It was not the question, Lucius, that displeased me but in the manner it was asked. I will not have my Son use such discontent when speaking to another person, especially one that has been invited into our home," she explained. Lucius frowned.

"I am curious to know why such people have been invited into _our_ home," he advised. Narcissa stepped to Hermione's side silently, her hand remaining on her shoulder.

"What other possible reason would my cousin have for coming to our home? Use that incredibly intelligent brain of yours and think. Why are you angry with him? What debt was owed?" she asked pointedly. Lucius frowned and looked back to the dark haired man with renewed anger.

"I am angry with him because _he_ lost our Daughter-" he stopped abruptly as his eyes widened in surprise. He met Narcissa's gaze in question. She gave a smile and nodded in confirmation. His grey eyes then fell to the curly haired teenager stood beside his wife, staring at her as if he had never seen her before in his life.

"It can't be," he whispered in disbelief. Hermione felt her heart drop at the implication, frowning to disguise the sudden hurt she felt.

"Why? Is it because I am a Mudblood?" she sneered. Sirius and Narcissa exclaimed in horror at her words. Narcissa turned her to face her.

"Even if you were Muggleborn Hermione we do not use that word in our home," she explained gently. Hermione shrugged her hand from her shoulder and stepped back, away from her mother. She pointed at the younger blonde in the room.

"Your son certainly doesn't seem to mind the phrase when we're at school," she said defensively. Narcissa's gaze turned to her son who attempted to remain defiant but soon withered under her blue eyes. His face turned to the floor in shame.

"Draco should know that the use of that word is not acceptable and I will not prohibit the use of it in any type of conversation," she said sharply. Her gaze then turned to her husband, "And neither will his Father," she said pointedly. Lucius sighed and shook his head.

"Narcissa, how can you be sure?" he asked quietly.

"A mother knows," she whispered. His mouth tightened.

"Shouldn't a Father? After all, I have met the girl before," he said. Narcissa smiled.

"How often have you told yourself that Aurora was gone forever? You have forced yourself to believe that we would never find her that you have not allowed yourself to see her, even now when she stands before you. As much as it pains me to admit, you were absolutely right when it came to choosing a guardian for her as a child. Although we could trust Sirius we could not trust his friends. Aurora was taken by James Potter and hidden within the muggle world," she explained. Lucius frowned and gestured to Hermione.

"She looks nothing like Aurora. Potter may have been a skilled wizard but his power could not disguise a child with that much detail," he advised. Narcissa rolled her eyes.

"Potter may not have had the skill but Albus Dumbledore certainly does. The Headmaster must have agreed that we were attempting to influence Sirius in some way by asking him to take Aurora as his heir and assisted James with her disguise. I know he'd have helped to keep her hidden from any magical scans, he is the only wizard I know who is skilled enough to perform magic to this level of calibre," she explained. Lucius closed his eyes in understanding.

"Dumbledore," he growled. He looked up at Sirius for further confirmation. Sirius sighed and nodded sadly. Lucius shook his head, "How did you know where to find her?" he asked quietly.

"Lily turned out to be a better friend than my _best_ friend. She looked into my mind and saw that it was James who attacked me and took Aurora from me. She promised James when she confronted him that she would not tell me until they needed to. It was too late, they were both killed and I was shipped off to Azkaban. She made sure, however, that she left me with the means to find her. She left me the information that lead me right to her," Sirius explained.

Silence followed as Lucius contemplated what Sirius and Narcissa had explained to him. He looked back to Hermione whose anxiety was causing her to fidget. She twisted her fingers together and chewed on her bottom lip, watching him carefully.

He tried to picture her with blonde hair and with the bright blue eyes that he remembered so fondly. His head told him to forget, to refuse the information to avoid the pain. His heart thudded within his chest, yearning to take the girl into his arms and never release her.

"Draco has told us many things about you," he whispered. Hermione took a deep breath and met his gaze. She felt a small amount of hope in her heart at his quiet words, "He has told us that you are very intelligent," he said. Hermione nodded.

"I like to read," she said quietly. Lucius nodded.

"Aurora liked when we read to her," he said. Hermione smiled slightly and faced her mother briefly.

"Yes, I have been told," Narcissa smiled and patted Hermione's shoulder.

Draco watched the interaction with growing surprise. All he could see when he stared at the girl was Muggleborn Gryffindor Granger. The girl who he teased relentlessly at school and best friend to a boy he hated. He shook his head as his Father's anger stemmed; seemingly agreeing that Granger could actually be his sister.

"You have got to be joking! Father, you honestly believe this farce!" he exclaimed. Lucius and Narcissa turned steely gazes to him but he ignored them, "This is Granger for Merlin's sake! Hermione Granger, the Muggleborn and the Gryffindor!" he spat. Lucius grabbed his son by the robes and brought him menacingly close.

"You will not speak about her that way," he hissed. Draco's anger suddenly turned to fear as he stared at his Father. Narcissa came down the stairs and pulled them away from each other with a frown.

"Lucius there is no need to be so rough! Draco, I am appalled at your actions. You should be overjoyed that we have found her!" she exclaimed. Draco brushed down his robes, scowling at the brown haired girl as she backed herself into the wall, watching the three of them fearfully.

"She is no sister of mine! I would have known I have been at school with her for the last three years and there has been no _bond_ between us!" he exclaimed. Sirius stepped forward to defend his ward.

"There is no bond because you have been apart for so many years. You now have the opportunity to allow the bond to grow as it should," he explained gently.

"Do you honestly think she'll want to have anything to do with me? We hate each other...and I hate her _friends_! You know how much trouble they have caused me!" he exclaimed. Hermione frowned.

"What about the amount of trouble you have caused. First year: You got us all in detention and then abandoned Harry when he faced You Know Who in the Forbidden Forest. Second Year: You wanted the basilisk to kill me. Third Year: You wanted an innocent creature murdered and a good teacher fired! How does that compare to what we have done to you?" she explained. Draco scowled.

"That creature attacked me!" he shouted. Hermione scoffed.

"Malfoy, it was a Hippogriff. Hagrid told us that we weren't to insult them and as per usual you were not listening as you did not deem him worthy of your attention. You insulted him and then he attacked you, it wasn't his fault!" she told him. Lucius turned his attention to his son and frowned.

"You told us that the creature attacked you without cause. That was my argument to the Wizengamot when I asked for it to be put down," he said. Draco pursed his lips in anger and remained silent. Narcissa sighed and stared sadly at her son.

"You hoped she would die at the hands of the Basilisk?" she asked sadly. Draco's anger calmed slightly at his mother's tone and he sighed.

"I didn't mean it, I just said it to my friends," he explained weakly. Narcissa shook her head.

"Why would you wish someone dead?" she whispered. Draco stared at her before shaking his head angrily.

"Look, this isn't the point. If I have caused her so much grief then she won't want me as her brother; will she?" he asked.

"I am willing to try," Hermione whispered. All gazes turned to her at her words, she sighed. "I knew who you all were before I allowed Sirius to bring me here. He told me there was a possibility that you could be different if you had me back. I want to get to know my real family; it doesn't matter to me what you have done in the past. Family is supposed to look past all that," she explained. Narcissa nodded proudly.

"You are welcome here anytime dear," she said. Lucius nodded in agreement; Hermione bit her lip anxiously.

"It will take some time to get used to. Perhaps I can visit every now and then," she offered. Narcissa's smile brightened and she nodded in agreement. Draco scoffed.

"What good are a few visits going to do?" he asked childishly. Narcissa span on the spot and cuffed him on the back of the head.

"That will be enough of that Draco Malfoy. We will be having a long discussion about your attitude and behaviour when we are not in front of good company. Do you understand?" she asked. Draco nodded silently.

Sirius looked at the clock on the mantel and cringed at the time.

"Perhaps it will be best if Hermione comes back tomorrow. I promised her Parents I would bring her back within a few hours; I believe they will be anxious to learn how the meeting has gone. I also don't want to leave them with Buckbeak for too long," he held his arm out for Hermione. Hermione nodded and stepped down the stairs. Narcissa drew her into her arms, wrapping them around her smaller frame.

"I will see you very soon my Darling," she whispered, "You can always write to us with anything you would like to know," she said. Hermione hesitantly put her arms around her mother, resting her cheek on her shoulder.

"I don't have an owl," she whispered. Narcissa pulled away and met her gaze.

"Then I shall send my own. You are family, he will know when he is needed," she said. Hermione smiled and nodded. She turned to Lucius and nodded with a small smile, unable to bring herself to give him the same treatment as her Mother. He nodded in understanding. She then turned to Draco.

His eyes watched her hesitantly. She rolled her eyes.

"If it helps in anyway, I was wary about you Draco. I am going to try and think about you as my brother and not the arrogant little bully from school. Perhaps it will help if you think of me as Aurora rather than Hermione Granger," she said. Draco simply offered a nod, his lips pressed together in a thin line. Hermione sighed and offered her own nod, before taking her side by Sirius and grasping his arms tightly. Narcissa stepped forward to address her cousin.

"Where will you be going?" she asked. Sirius grinned.

"I think I've been north of the British Isles for too long. I think I need some sun and lay low for a while. I'll let you know if I'm back in England," he told her. Narcissa nodded and drew him into an impromptu hug.

"You will take care of yourself...ok?" she asked. Sirius rolled his eyes and gave her a brief hug back.

"You know me Cissa...I'll do my best," he said. Narcissa nodded and stepped back.

With one final wink to his cousin, Sirius took Hermione's hand and apparated them from the room. Narcissa released a breath and quickly buried herself in her husband's arms.

"She's back," she whispered, suddenly content. Lucius squeezed her body and turned to the photographs, watching each and every one interact.

* * *

 **Hope you all enjoyed! xoxo**


	6. When a Family Bonds

**AN - A little treat for everyone as an apology for such a late update of Chapter five. Here is Chapter six! I am overwhelmed by the response I have received for this story. Thank you to each and every one of you that has reviewed, favourited and followed this story - they certainly brighten my day.**

 **I have already gotten a start on Chapter seven so hopefully this should be with you within the next week or so.**

 **Hope you enjoy! xoxo**

 **Chapter 6:- When a Family Bonds**

Hermione sighed contently as she closed her eyes, basking in the warmth of the afternoon sun. She had only visited her parent's home a few times; but she had soon managed to find her most favourite spot in the house. There was a small study facing the back of the house, situated between her childhood bedroom and her brother's bedroom. Narcissa had explained that they had left room for a small study for the children to us as a quiet place for their studies.

It was a rather plain room; it had been very obvious that Draco rarely frequented it. There was shelving against the long wall, filled from floor to ceiling with different books. She had been surprised to find muggle literature among the titles. When she asked her brother about it, his cheeks flushed and he offered a shrug of embarrassment.

"I like Muggle literature. Even though they didn't have magic they were very smart, those Muggles," he'd said quietly.

Hermione's favourite part of the room; although filled to the brim with every book imaginable, was the picture window along the back wall. It had a cushioned window seat, large enough for her to rest her feet against the wall and cushion her head against the window. In the afternoon, when the sun made its way around to the back of the house, it would filter in through the window; bathing anyone sat on the window seat with its warmth.

She was often found sitting in the study come the afternoon; a book in her hands but her eyes cast on the colourful grounds below. She often watched her Mother take to the flower beds in the garden with the small Tinker by her side.

Since she'd found the truth about her true parentage, she'd found it easier to speak to her real mother. It had helped that she had never met her outside the capacity of the home; she could already see her as a mother figure in her life. The second time she went to the house she and Narcissa sat in the garden, surrounded by the beautiful roses and lilies that Narcissa had planted. They spoke for hours on Hermione's likes and dislikes, allowing Narcissa the time to really get to know her daughter and allow Hermione the time to feel comfortable with the Malfoys.

It was a little more difficult for Hermione to look past the misdeeds of her Father and Brother. Every time she saw Draco she was reminded of the horrible things the boy had said to her whilst they were at school. He tried, when they met, to be as polite as possible. To be honest, she was sure with them being unable to remove the charm which changed her appearance; he struggled to look past the vision of Hermione Granger in order to get to know his sister.

When she first met Lucius on her second visit to the house she had felt extremely awkward. She remained cautious of the older man, aware that it was because of his actions that she had been petrified in her second year. Narcissa had tried to explain to her Lucius' role within the first war and what this did to his position now. It was expected of him to become a Death Eater, and he did so willingly when he was a young man. She confirmed though, that once he realised that he was to become a Father, he did not want a part in that life any longer. He was a man who realised his mistakes and could not find a way out to redeem himself.

"Making worst choices doesn't help though," Hermione had argued. Narcissa could not disagree, she despaired greatly that Lucius was still trapped with making bad decisions.

She chose to hide herself away when she came to visit, in her little niche in the small study with the sun shining on her face, warming her body.

In the five days she had visited the Malfoy home, she had been left alone when she had not sought out company. Lucius chose to keep himself to his office when she visited, telling Narcissa that he did not like that he instilled fear in his daughter. Hermione imagined that he felt some measure of shame when he thought about his actions. Narcissa explained that because he was so upset when she went missing and they were unable to locate her, he forced himself to believe that she never lived. It was a horrible thought; that he tried to forget about her, but Hermione knew it was a way to remove the constant pain and guilt he felt.

Her father was usually her main topic of thought when she retreated to the small study. She'd sit on her window seat and stare thoughtfully out onto the grounds, wondering if their familial situation would ever improve.

She'd just allowed her eyes to close when suddenly, her face fell into shadow. She frowned and cracked open one eye, scowling when she met the smirking face of her brother bobbing outside the window on his broom. She released a sigh and ran a hand over her face tiredly before opening both eyes to watch him silently.

She had certainly seen a different side to Draco when visiting his home. He wore casual robes above black trousers and a white shirt. She'd laughed the first time she'd seen him.

"Why are you dressed like you're still at school?" she'd asked. Draco eyed her jeans and pink jumper before sniffing disdainfully.

"Because, Granger, I still have an image to uphold," he sniped at her. Narcissa scolded him for his cold tone but gave him a fond pat on his cheek.

"It's something that was instilled into me at a young age. Image always counts for something, no matter how much we say otherwise," she explained.

"What, even in front of family? In your own home no less?" Hermione asked. When she was spending the day at home it was strange to find her in anything other than her pyjamas! Draco sneered at her and crossed his arms.

"Well you're still counted as a guest Granger," he told her. Hermione flinched involuntarily at the obscured meaning. He still didn't see her as his twin sister. Narcissa cuffed him on the back of head.

"There will be none of that Draco Regulus Malfoy! Hermione has been welcomed here as family and you will do well to remember that!" she snapped at him. After that, Hermione retreated up to the study; feeling in the pit of her stomach that her family would not accept her.

Watching Draco's bobbing figure in front of the window gave her a brief sense of hope that perhaps he wanted to try. She placed her fingers beneath the wooden rim of the window and with a grunt of exertion slid the window open.

"I hope you realise you make a better door than a window?" she asked sarcastically. Draco's smirk dropped as he frowned in confusion.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked. Hermione rolled her eyes and gestured to the sky.

"It's just a muggle expression. You are blocking the sun!" she exclaimed. Hermione felt her pulse quicken in fear as Draco turned slightly to look at the sky behind him, before turning to settle himself on his broom correctly. She released a small breath of relief.

"I didn't think that you were such a sun worshipper," he commented. Hermione shook her head.

"I'm not. We do, however, live in England; not to mention spend most of our time during the school year in Scotland. To be honest, it isn't the most well known country for offering glorious weather. I am making the most of it whilst I can!" she exclaimed sarcastically. Draco scoffed.

"You do realise that the best way to 'make the most of it' is to actually spend time in it! If want to be one with the sun you need to be as close as possible to it!" he gestured to his broom, "Come flying with me and you'll truly experience the best the sun can offer," he offered.

Hermione stared at him incredulously for a moment before viciously shaking her head.

"I don't do flying. My feet are perfectly fine where they are thank you very much. I spent as little time as possible on a broom during my first year. In fact, I flew as much as needed to pass the course. It was the one and only time I did as little as possible to pass a class. I am much happier spending my time simply enjoying the sun from the safety of the ground," she explained, casting a nervous glance to the ground below.

It was Draco's turn to roll his eyes.

"Granger, even Mother enjoys a short flight with Father every now and then," he told her. Hermione flinched again at the use of her surname, releasing a sigh at her involuntary movement. Draco frowned, "What is the matter?" he asked. Hermione rubbed a hand across her face.

"When you use my surname to address me my magic reacts somehow. It causes me to involuntarily flinch. It's difficult to explain but it leaves an awful feeling within the pit of my stomach," she explained. Draco gave her a searching look; she sighed again. "I'd much rather if you called me Hermione, Draco."

Draco offered a small nod in understanding. After a moment's silence he drew the broom closer to the window's edge.

"Please come flying with me...Hermione," he said. Hermione met his grey eyes, reading the apology rather than hearing it. She shook her head again.

"I don't like heights Draco. Even the most experienced of flyers can fall from their brooms. Look at Harry! He is the youngest seeker in a century and he still fell over a hundred feet to his potential death last year!" she exclaimed. Hermione new she'd said the wrong thing when she saw Draco's face fall into one of anger.

"Well that's because Perfect Potter doesn't know how to hold on properly! Some one should apply a sticking charm to the short git just in case a Dementor comes after him again!" he sniped. Hermione frowned, drawing her knees up to her chest.

"You don't need to be rude. Whilst I'm here I'd like to request that you don't say anything about my friends and I'm sure I won't comment on the stupidity of yours!" she snapped. Draco scowled.

"May I remind you whose house you are in," he growled at her. Hermione felt her magic react and her body flinched towards the window. She felt a hand grab her shoulder, pushing her back to the safety of the study. She took deep breaths to calm her magic. She felt her body quiver with fear, but mostly felt her heart pound with rejection. She heard Draco sigh.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. Hermione shook her head.

"I don't know what to do so you all accept me," she whispered. "I can't change who I am. I am not Aurora; I haven't been for a long time. Sooner or later you will need to accept that Hermione Granger is your sister. I am not going to change just because I have found my real family," she looked up into his grey eyes, "Why can't you accept that?" she asked. Draco sighed and rested his head against the frame of the window, his broom floating against the wall.

"I have known about you my whole life. You were my favourite bedtime story; my twin sister...the girl who was lost. As a child I swore to my parents that I would find you. Which then brought my to my childhood hero – Harry Potter," He explained. Hermione's brows rose in surprise, he nodded sadly. "My Parents had told me all about 'The Boy who Lived'. They told me stories of how he defeated the Dark Lord and save everyone. They told me that we were the same age and that we would go to school together. I promised myself that we would be the best of friends and that he would eventually help me find my lost sister." He sighed and looked to his hands resting on the broom. Hermione reached forward and rested a supporting hand on his arm. He looked up at her in surprise; she offered a small smile.

"What went wrong?" she asked quietly. Draco released a breath.

"I was a spoilt brat. I thought that I was better than anyone and everyone. When I found Potter with Weasley I thought perhaps we could be a good friendly group...then when Weasley laughed at my name I couldn't help myself. My Father had always told me stories about the Weasleys; about how different they were to us. They were a big family with little money between them. We were such a small unit but with all the gold to pocket. I couldn't understand how he could stand there and laugh at my name when he and his family was in that position!" he explained. Hermione nodded.

"Then, you went all 'rich Prince' in front of Harry and he didn't like it." It was a statement, not a question but Draco nodded anyway.

"Then, he rejected my offer of friendship and that was another thing that was unheard of. I was so used to getting my own way that I never comprehended a refusal of friendship from the 'Boy who Lived'. I felt like he'd betrayed my childhood dreams. What was worse, I felt like I'd just lost my only chance at finding my sister...Who'd have thought he was best friends with her all along?" he asked with a smile. Hermione smiled back.

"So technically...Harry did bring me to you," she said, raising a brow in question. Draco rolled his eyes.

"If you want to call all _that_ 'bringing you to me'," he gestured wildly with his hands making her laugh, "then yes ' _technically'_ he brought you to me. But I caused you a lot of grief in the mean time," he answered. Hermione shrugged.

"I knew I was adopted before I went to Hogwarts. I may not have known who my parents were but I had a gut feeling that my blood was not fully muggle. I knew I had magic in my blood from my real family. You words may have stung but only briefly...I did get my own back in the end," she reached over and grasped his chin gently, turning his face to the left, "How is your face by the way? I was sure I could have blacked your eye. I was hoping for a broken nose but you turned at the last second," she commented. Draco jerked his head away, cupping his cheek at the memory.

"Its fine and no there was no bruise. I will forgive you for that...after all, I was a complete prat last year...and possibly the years before that," he said. Hermione cuffed him upside the head, "Hey! Do you take enjoyment out of hitting me!" he exclaimed, rubbing the spot. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Don't call yourself a Prat! Let's agree that as your sister, I am the only one who is allowed to call you that," she said with a smirk. His eyebrows rose in surprise at her expression.

"Who'd have thought we'd find such a 'Malfoyesque' expression on Hermione Granger's face!" he exclaimed, quickly making her face drop with indignation. She gave him a playful shove, shaking her head.

"Trust you to ruin a touching moment...Prat," he smiled at the sentiment.

"Is this what it's like to have a sibling?" he asked gently, "Playful and easy."

Hermione gave him a searching look before offering a shrug.

"I wouldn't know, I haven't had any brothers or sisters whilst I was growing up," she said. Draco sighed.

"Do you think you could ever trust me?" he asked. Hermione sobered.

"You haven't really given me a reason to trust you, have you?" she asked. Draco shook his head sadly.

"No, I haven't," he said. His eyes then suddenly brightened and he held out his hand, "There is always a good time to start somewhere," he said. Hermione glanced at his hand, biting her lip nervously as she considered her options. Draco was offering her a jump start to their relationship; a chance to trust him as she should as his sister. She took a deep, steadying breath, placing her hand in his. She squeezed it cautiously, meeting his silver gaze.

"You won't let me fall?" she asked quietly. Draco gave her hand a supporting squeeze back, levelling his broom to the open window.

"Hermione, I may not be the 'Youngest Seeker in a century' but I can assure you that I have spent enough time on a broom to take care of my passengers," he said arrogantly. Hermione gave him a pointed, worried look. He released a sigh and looked into her eyes, "I promise, I will not let you fall."

Hermione stared at him for another moment before nodding resolutely. His face broke into a delighted smile, warming her heart at his happiness. She smiled back, edging herself onto the ledge of the window. When her feet dangled over the edge she involuntarily glanced at the ground beneath her. Her body shuddered in fear and she gripped at the wooden frame, her body refusing to move.

"Hermione, don't look down. Look at me," Draco said firmly. Hermione's magic took the edge off her fear at the sound of her brother's voice. Her eyes were drawn up from the ground and met the confident gaze of her brother.

"I'm sorry," she gasped. Draco smiled and shook his head.

"Don't apologise. You are facing your fear, you bloody Gryffindor! Keep your eyes on me whilst I take the broom down slightly so you can slip on," he instructed. Hermione kept her eyes on his face as he lowered slightly.

"I'll be telling Narcissa about the Gryffindor comment...and the cursing," she whispered, Draco snorted and shook his head.

"I'm sure my poor head and face won't take much of yours and mothers abuse much longer," he said, placing a hand onto her arm, "Now, swing one leg over the broom in front of me."

She followed his instruction, feeling the firmness of the broom beneath her left calf. She placed her hand on his shoulder, grasping the material of his robe tightly in her fingers. Draco lifted an arm from the broom and placed it at her waist, gripping her jumper.

"Now, I want you to push off the ledge gently. You just need to slide so you are sat on the broom," he told her. Hermione nodded jerkily but her body was frozen. Draco shook her gently, smiling at her with support.

"Come on Hermione, I know everything you and those stupid boys have done. If you can help face the Dark Lord then surely you can do this," he whispered. Hermione felt emboldened by his words, she closed her eyes, held her breath and pushed herself from the ledge.

As her body slid in front of her brothers her hands grappled for something to steady her. Her heart beat wildly in fear as her feet dangled in mid air. Draco's arms came around her, trapping her arms down towards the broom.

"Hermione, hold the broom! You will not fall if you hold the broom; your magic has to connect to it!" he exclaimed. Hermione scowled.

"I know how the magic of a broom works! I'm not an imbecile!" she shouted.

"Then stop panicking and do it!" he said. She felt his chin come to her shoulder, his lips near her ear, "Please trust me," he whispered. As his words drifted into her ears her magic surrounded her, attempting to calm her body. Slowly, as her hands grasped the varnished wood of the broom, her muscles relaxed and her heart settled to an acceptable rate. She released a long, suffering breath, choosing to keep her eyes closed.

Draco felt her body release its tension and he released a sigh of relief. He placed his hands above her own and hooked his feet beneath hers.

"Rest your feet on mine, as though you were riding with stirrups. It created the illusion that you are sat on something other than a strip of wood," he commented. She released a high pitched nervous laugh.

"I don't need you to remind me that the only thing holding our weight is a long twig!" she exclaimed sarcastically. Draco chuckled.

"You mustn't forget the magic Sister dear," he told her. Hermione felt a shiver of approval run down her spine at his term of endearment.

"Well you've gotten me on the dratted thing, it's been thirty seconds, I can safely say that I have flown! Now let's take us back to the ground and I shall sit in the garden and enjoy the sun from down there," she told him. He laughed and shook his head.

"You haven't truly experienced it until you open your eyes," he said. Hermione shrugged.

"I have a good imagination...I can simply picture the view," she told him.

"You cannot truly experience the enjoyment of flying until you see the view of our grounds. The house may not be as magnificent as Malfoy Manor and I'll admit the grounds aren't as expansive. They do still provide the most stellar view," he explained, "One that can only be enjoyed if you open...your...eyes," he said slowly. Hermione released a nervous breath.

"If I open my eyes its real and I'll panic again," she told him quietly. Draco patted her hands.

"I told you, I promise I will not let you fall. Do not look down. I want to share the sights of _our_ home with you. Please, trust me," he whispered. Hermione heard his plea. She held her breath as she cracked open one eye, eyeing her surroundings wearily. Her other eye opened involuntarily as the beauty of the landscape surrounding them forced the air out of her stomach.

She gasped in wonder as Draco manoeuvred the broom around slowly, pushing it into a gentle incline away from the house. She gaped at the vast grounds, her eyes flicking around to catch every little detail as the broom flew swiftly through the open air.

"Allow me to give you the official tour. There isn't much to see but there is enough beauty to admire," Draco said gently. Hermione nodded in silent agreement.

Hermione had never seen beyond the boarders of the garden during her visits to the Malfoy Home. Narcissa had explained that she and Lucius owned the land beyond the gardens however they had never thought to touch it; it was beautiful enough without magic's interference. Just beyond the boarders of the garden there was a small lake, surrounded by trees and colourful bushes. The countryside stretched before them like a great quilt of golden, brown and green squares held together by the thick green stitching of the hedgerows. It rose and fell like giant waves on a gentle ocean and was dotted with animals. Occasionally there was a wood that separated the fields. Towards the end there was a thick forest of trees, each with as green of a plume as the next.

"It's so beautiful," she whispered. Draco nodded and sighed, happy that he could share this moment with his sister. For only seconds he could imagine that there wasn't lost time between them, that they had grown up together happy and content. "Thank you for sharing this with me Draco," she thanked him.

"It's always been a favourite of mine," he commented. Hermione smiled.

"Better than Quidditch?" she asked coyly. Draco laughed.

"Not quite as good as Quidditch," he said. He lifted his hand to point at the forest, "Mother and Father used to take me in there as a child. There's a glade just by the wards where we would sit and have a picnic together. Perhaps you would like to see it?" he asked. Hermione nodded, keeping her eyes on the forest as they neared the trees.

In minutes they had reached the edge of the thick forest. The trees were much thicker and closer together as they neared the edge, towering high above them. Draco brought the broom a little higher so they could skim over the tops of the trees.

Suddenly, as the toes of their shoes made contact with the first branches, Hermione felt an incredibly sharp pain shoot through her head. She cried out and felt her body propel forward, grasping at her head.

"Hermione! Sit up!" Draco called, wrapping an arm around her waist to steady her. Hermione heard him, but it was like listening to him through the wall of a room. His voice sounded so far away. All she could think and feel was the pain. Her head was thrown back, her body falling into the chest of her brother.

"Argh!" she cried, tugging at the roots in her hair. Her vision blurred and her stomach lurched as Draco brought the broom to an abrupt stop.

"Hermione, what is it? What's wrong?" he asked with concern. Hermione could not answer, she didn't know.

"My head…" she whimpered, tears slipping down her cheeks in pain. Draco swiftly turned the broom in a wide circle, urging it back to the house as quickly as possible.

"Hang on Hermione. I'll get us to the house; Mother and Father are there," he told her firmly. Hermione shuddered in pain and felt her head fall back against his shoulder. Her eyes closed against the pain, spots blinked behind her eyelids.

"Make it stop," she whispered, her body suddenly feeling very weak. Draco felt her weight more prominently as her body weakened. He fought to keep the broom steady as her weight attempted to throw it off course.

"Come on Hermione, you need to stay awake for me. Can you do that? Keep your eyes open and stay awake," he murmured to her.

"Hurts…so much," she whispered, her head sinking to the side. Draco gritted his teeth and shook her with the arm around her waist.

"You are the more intelligent between the two of us! I can't help you!" he exclaimed, pushing the broom to move faster towards the house. He didn't receive a response; her body had become very heavy and very still. The only tell tale sign that she was still alive was the short warm breath he could feel against his neck.

"Hold on Aurora. We're almost home," he whispered. He didn't know if she could hear him any longer, but he thought the use of her real name may have helped her magic to sustain her.

Soon, they managed to touch down in the garden, fifty yards from the open back door. As his feet touched the ground he immediately dropped the broom in order to place both arms around his sister's body to bring her gently to the ground.

He brushed her hair away from her face, analyzing her pale complexion and shallow breaths.

"Tinker!" he called worriedly. The small elf suddenly appeared beside him, wringing her small hands cautiously.

"How can Tinker help young Master?" she asked; her tone anxious. Draco did not remove his gaze from his sister.

"I need you to fetch Mother and Father. Hermione is ill and I cannot explain why. I do not want to move her in case she incurs anything serious," he ordered. Tinker gave a short nod and disappeared with a snap of her fingers.

Moments later Narcissa and Lucius came bolting out of the back door, both with worried expressions. Narcissa threw herself onto the ground beside her children, despite wearing the cleanest of robes. She placed a hand on Hermione's face, searching for any sign of life.

Lucius knelt more sedately; his face an impassive mask. Draco knew differently, he could see the concern in his Father's familiar grey eyes.

"What happened, Draco?" he asked calmly. Draco shook his head.

"I don't know Father. We went flying and I offered to take her to the glade so she could see where we spent time as a family. She was really enjoying it and we were bonding and then all of a sudden she started to feel pain. It was only moments and then she fell unconscious," he explained. Lucius nodded and cast his eyes over his grown daughter.

His eyes caught the subtle shifting of her muscles and the slight changes to her complexion.

"She cannot stay out here Lucius, we need to take her inside," Narcissa told him. Lucius nodded and placed his arms beneath her knees and around her back, lifting her swiftly into his arms. He cradled her against his chest, allowing her head to rest against her neck. She murmured at the movement, shifting her body uncomfortably. She unconsciously snatched a handful of his robes and buried her face further into his neck.

His heart pounded as he carried her carefully back into the house. The last time he had carried his daughter and held her lovingly was the night she had left. He willed the painful memories to the back of his mind. He followed Narcissa into the house. As she led them to the stairs he turned slightly to address his concerned son.

"Draco, use the floo and contact Severus Snape. Out of all the men I know he may have some idea what is happening to her," he advised. Draco nodded and bit his lip nervously, casting a glance at his sister's unconscious form.

"What do you think is wrong with her Father?" he asked quietly. Lucius looked back to his daughter, watching as her body shifted slightly. His eyes were drawn to her hairline as it began to slowly brighten considerably.

"You took her to the forest's edge, correct?" he asked, Draco nodded and he continued, "The wards have been recalculated whilst your sister has been visiting. With Peter Pettigrew on the loose your Mother did not want your sister wandering into the forest without protection," he explained. Draco nodded.

"So, the wards have done this to her?" he asked. Lucius gestured to her lightening hair.

"She has a deep appearance altering charm woven into her body. The wards recognized this and they have been programmed to hinder any witch or wizard under disguise," he explained, "The magic of the wards is removing the charm the only way they know how, by destroying it," he said. Draco blanched at the term.

"Destroying it? Does that mean it will harm her?" he asked. Lucius turned to follow his wife up the stairs.

"I don't know Draco, this is why you need to fetch Severus so he can examine her!" he growled, shifting Hermione in his arms so he could easily carry her up the stairs. Draco flinched at his Father's harsh tone, and turned towards the fireplace. Lucius felt a brief feeling of guilt and stopped to address his son.

"Draco."

Draco turned before he could throw the handful of floo powder into the empty fireplace. His face was cautious. Lucius sighed.

"I did not mean to be cross with you son. I am simply worried about your sister," he explained. Draco offered a short smile and a nod.

"I know Father. I never thought I would ever get to say this; but I am worried too," he said. He smiled gently at the body of his sister before stepping into the fireplace and disappearing with a flash of green flames. Lucius sighed and climbed the rest of the stairs.

He knew the route to his daughter's bedroom; he often spent time in there when he was in the house alone. It was the only time he allowed the memories of his beloved Princess to enter his mind; to allow his grief to overcome him.

As he entered the room he found Narcissa stood at the edge of her bed, turning back the lilac quilt cover. She watched him with concern as he took her place and went to lay her carefully on the bed.

As her body made contact with the mattress and he went to move his arms from beneath her, her hand tightened around his robes and she gave a distressed cry. Lucius stilled and shared a worried glance with Narcissa. Taking a deep breath he attempted to move again, but her head buried further into his neck and her hand wrapped around his shoulder.

"Please, Daddy, No," she murmured.

The room was silent enough for both conscious occupants to hear it. Tears sprung to Narcissa's eyes as she heard her daughter call out for her Father. Lucius grit his teeth.

"She needs to be with her adoptive parents if she is calling out for them. They will be able to comfort her," he said quietly.

Narcissa shook her head and watched her daughter carefully. She watched as she took deep breaths of her Father's scent from his neck and tried to bury herself closer to his body.

"Lay with her on the bed Lucius," she whispered, moving to the other side to help shift her further across the bed. Lucius gaped at her.

"Are you mad? She has not been able to stand the sight of me since she came back! I really don't think that I will be a source of comfort for her whilst she is in pain," he argued. Narcissa shook her head.

"What fragrance are you wearing?" she asked, "I caught the scent of it earlier but I could not place it," she said. Lucius paused for a moment before looking down at the smaller girl in his arms.

"I brought out the bottle of sandalwood. I have not worn it since Aurora was last with us; it reminded me of her too much. She always drew comfort from it as a baby so I thought it may help during Hermione's visits," he explained. Narcissa smiled and patted the bed.

"She may not remember us darling but in her fragile state she is still drawing comfort from it now. Lay with her and she will stay calm," she explained. Lucius hesitated, "Lucius; please. At least try!" she begged.

Lucius sighed and laid Hermione back on the bed, keeping his arm around her as he slipped on beside her. She quickly turned in his arms and rested her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his chest and into his robes. Lucius watched her for a moment before allowing his arms to rest around her shoulder and on her arm. His right arm stroked her back comfortingly, coaxing her sudden tense body to relax.

"Don't leave me Daddy," she murmured, tightening her fingers in his robes as she did when she was a baby. Lucius felt his throat close at her words, his eyes closing in pain at her request. His free hand came up to slide soothingly through her hair; the same gesture she enjoyed as a baby.

Narcissa smiled as tears slipped down her cheeks, watching the tender moment between her Husband and their daughter. She sat on the opposite edge of the bed, placing a comforting hand on her daughter's side.

"We are here darling," she whispered comfortingly. Lucius met her eyes silently. "We aren't going to leave you again. I promise," she faltered as her throat closed. She drew her handkerchief from her robe pocket and dabbed at her eyes.

"Narcissa, perhaps you should inform Mr and Mrs Granger that Hermione will be staying here tonight. I don't think it will be safe to move her until the charm is completely removed," he advised. Narcissa nodded and stood, bending over briefly to press a kiss to her daughter's head. She then leaned further and kissed her husband soundly. He pulled away and gave her a questioning glance. She smiled and ran a finger down his cheek before leaving the room silently.

Lucius settled into the silence, continuously drawing his fingers through the once curly strands of his daughter's hair. He took notice that there was an inch of her hair that was bright blonde at the roots and had lengthened as the curls straightened.

"I am sorry," he whispered, closing his eyes against the pain in his heart. A pain that was caused from years of guilt from losing his darling princess. He always forced any memory of Aurora from his mind; the guilt caused too much pain. There were always moments within the last eleven years where Lucius found himself sitting in his daughter's room, picturing her bouncing around with excitement as she played.

The last thing that he wanted as a Father was to see his children in pain. It was why he reacted to harshly when he heard that Draco had been hurt in his Care of Magical Creatures class. With every groan that Hermione gave in her pain it caused his heart to pound furiously. It angered him that he couldn't help her and it angered him that it was originally down to him that she was now suffering.

"I promise you my Darling that you will not suffer any longer. If it is within my power I will ensure that you are protected," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her head, "I Promise."

The silence was suddenly interrupted by pounding steps on the stairs. Moments later the door opened and Draco stepped into the room cautiously, moving quickly to the bed.

"Father, Professor Snape is here," he whispered. Lucius nodded and shifted slightly so he could face the dark haired man who had stepped into the room with hidden confusion. Hermione murmured but soon settled when he resumed threading his fingers through her hair.

Severus stepped up to the bed slowly, frowning at his friend who held a girl; a girl he couldn't help but recognize.

"Lucius, forgive my questions. I wouldn't usually have to ask because I know you love Narcissa willingly and would do nothing to hurt her. You need to tell me now, why you have Hermione Granger in your arms in your Daughter's old bedroom!" he exclaimed sharply. Hermione flinched at the abrupt sound and buried her face into Lucius' neck. Lucius frowned and rubbed her back soothingly.

"I request that you keep your voice down _friend_. I hold her because she is in pain. I hold her, because she is my daughter," he explained briefly. Severus stared for a moment in surprise. It was not the answer that he was expecting.

"How?" he asked quietly. Lucius sneered.

"James Potter and your best friend Albus Dumbledore. They took her and they hid her from me," he told him. Severus sneered at the mention of his childhood enemy.

"Potter; yet again he ruins people's lives. I am not surprised," he said. Lucius eyed him up.

"And your reaction to Dumbledore? He was a willing partner in her abduction according to Potter's late wife," he explained. Severus paused at the mention of Lily, his heart clenching painfully in his chest. He knew Dumbledore was a master of manipulation; his love for Lily was constantly used against him when the Headmaster wanted him to do something. Especially when it came to Lily's son.

"His assistance does not surprise me," he advised quietly. Lucius nodded slowly. Severus looked at the girl again, shaking his head slowly, "So she is Aurora?" he asked.

Lucius nodded again with a small smile, "I know it is difficult to believe, I didn't see it at first. Draco has told us a lot about her obviously. He'd told us how intelligent she is but I never knew how passionate she was. She has a great capacity to love; she and Narcissa have become closer over these last two weeks. She is incredibly loyal and willing to trust. She is everything I always imagined she would be," he explained gently. Severus gestured to her changing hair colour.

"You have removed any charms that were placed on her," he stated. Lucius frowned.

"We were not sure what charm Dumbledore used. We know that it not only changed her basic features but also her physical structure," he explained, "We haven't removed it, the wards are," he said. Severus frowned for a moment in thought before his eyes widened in understanding.

"The wards have recognized that she is wearing a charm to disguise her true features. They are forcefully removing the charm. It must be causing her some pain," he said, diving into his robe pockets for different coloured viles. Lucius shifted her onto her back slowly and helped prop her up on his chest.

"I need you to drink these Hermione, they will remove the pain," he explained gently. Hermione groaned at the movement but dutifully allowed her Father to pour each vile into her mouth. Lucius gently rubbed her throat, encouraging her to swallow each concoction. Slowly, her body relaxed and her head lolled against his chest. Her tight grip on his robes loosened, allowing her hand to fall heavily to the bed. Lucius gave his friend a look of concern at her sudden unconsciousness.

"I gave her a dreamless sleep along with a muscle relaxant and pain reliever. It will help if she sleeps through the removal of the charm," Severus explained gently. Lucius nodded silently, taking care to settle his daughter back into the bed into a comfortable position. He stared at her for a moment, allowing his hand to brush the lightening strands of hair from her pale face. He took a deep breath and released it slowly.

"She will be fine?" He asked, unable to remove his gaze from her. Severus nodded, watching his friend cautiously.

"The wards are similar at Hogwarts; it is simply a protection mechanism. Once the charm is removed then she will be fine, if only a little sore from the abrupt changes to her body," he explained. Lucius nodded again, feeling more relief at the dark haired man's confidence.

"Thank you," he said gratefully. Severus nodded again; choosing to remain silent as he watched his friend interact with the girl who they thought was lost to them. He had met the child a handful of times, he had been named her Godfather so it was only right that he make the effort to see her during any free moments. He always found her rather amusing rather than irritating. As a child she did not demand attention but she was so endearing, Severus often found himself willingly offering attention to her.

He felt sadness when he found she was missing. Lucius had confided in him once when she was taken by a relative for her safety. He had explained briefly that his Father was not pleased with her and had offered her to the Dark Lord as an heir. It had been a defining moment to Severus, the moment he had thought that the older man would deflect from the Dark Lord in order to keep his children safe. Of course, the chance was never given as Aurora was announced missing; possibly dead, with the Dark Lord's death occurring soon after.

He and Lucius had never discussed their loyalty to the Dark Lord again. A part of them always knew that he was never truly gone but it was a subject that neither would broach until there was a sudden need.

Perhaps, Severus thought, her return may simply be the thing that pushes Lucius to the light.

Severus was suddenly brought from his silent musings as the door of the bedroom was opened abruptly and Narcissa made her way in, followed closely by her anxious son.

She made her way to the opposite side of the bed, resting a gentle hand on the girl's forehead. Draco remained at the foot of the bed, watching silently.

"Goodness, in the short time I have been away she has certainly changed," she whispered with an expression of wonder. She ran a finger over a pale cheek with a wistful smile, "She definitely developed those Malfoy cheekbones love. She'll look very aristocratic," she said.

Lucius shared her smile.

"I am beginning to see a younger version of you," he said. Narcissa's smile widened and her hand ran backwards over her daughters head lovingly. She finally looked up to the dark haired man with a grateful expression.

"Thank you for responding so quickly Severus. I believe momentary panic compromised all rational thought. We felt you would remain calm enough to help her," she explained. Severus offered a nod of understanding, choosing to remain silent. Lucius smirked.

"Believe me, underneath that stoic exterior Severus was just as surprised to find Hermione Granger in our home as we were," he said. Narcissa smiled and Draco scoffed.

"His first conclusion was that Father was having an affair with her," he said. Severus scowled and reached across to cuff the boy on the back of the head. Draco gave a look of outrage as he rubbed the offending sore spot on his scalp, "Why does everyone think that it is acceptable enough to hit me now?" he exclaimed, "You do realise _Professor_ that as your student you are allowed to strike me!" he stated. Severus rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Draco, if you have a look around you will find that we are not within the halls of Hogwarts but in your sister's bedroom. Knowing who she is I believe she would have found my course of action very acceptable," he explained. Draco glanced as his sister with a wary look.

"She can be scary," he said. Lucius felt a burst of pride at his words.

"I wanted nothing less from her," he said, Narcissa took his hand in her own and nodded in agreement.

"Perhaps we better leave her, she will sleep soundly now until the charm is completely worn off. We will know more when she wakes," she said. Lucius hesitated but nodded, slowly rising from the bed. He and Narcissa drew the covers from beneath her and settled it gently over her body, tucking it in so she remained warm. Narcissa drew her wand and waved it at the younger girl silently, smiling in satisfaction as her clothes transfigured into pink pyjamas. Draco watched his parents silently, his heart realising the familiar movements from when they would tuck him into bed as a child.

He followed the adults to the door silently, ensuring to have one final check of his sister's unconscious body before leaving the room; closing the door quietly behind him.

Hours later, Hermione felt herself slowly rouse from unconsciousness. Her limbs felt heavy and unusual; she found it difficult to move freely. Opening her eyes she noticed the familiar lilac colours of her bedroom. She silently assessed the subtle pain in her body; as though she had been sat in a certain position for too long. She flexed her fingers and wiggled her toes, relieved that she had full control oh her extremities.

She lay still for a moment, remembering the sudden pain that encompassed her body. It felt like a fire had been lit in her mind and was slowly burning around her body, scorching her bones and nerves. She remembered a calming presence and a scent that she had not smelt for a long time. The scent encouraged strange memories to the forefront of her mind; memories of a blonde haired family. Strangely, feeling followed the memories; feelings of love and safety. It was a feeling she could only associate with family.

She released a breath, hesitantly moving her arms and her legs. She winced as her muscles protested slightly, but forced herself to move past the stiffness to push herself into a sitting position. The first thing she noticed was the extra length to her legs. She flicked the duvet from her body and gaped at the pale appendages. She wouldn't have said she had a smaller stature before; she was a well built 5'4". If she was to guess at her height with the new length to her legs she would have guessed that there had been an extra four inches added.

As she tilted her head down to discover any further changes to her body she was surprised by the blonde waves that fell over her shoulders. She gasped as her hands flew up to her head, patting it at the roots. Gone were the tight wispy curls she usually felt at the top of her head; they had been replaced with smooth strands of hair.

Ignoring the complaint from her muscles, she swung her longer legs from the bed and stood haphazardly, striding her way to the desk with the mirror. She bent at the waist to peer at her reflection, her eyes widening at the stranger she saw before her.

"Oh my God," she whispered in shock. The teenager who stared back at her looked nothing like Hermione Granger. The face that she found had a paler complexion and was much more angular than the curved jaw and rounded cheeks she was used to. Her lips were much smaller but retained a fullness that Hermione possessed. Her cheekbones stood much higher, giving her face a more pointed, angular appearance. Her eyes retained their round shape however the colour was much more interesting. She had imagined that her eyes would have been a similar shade of blue as her Mother and Sirius; a beautiful dark blue that glinted with emotion. Her eyes; however, were a magnificent bright blue, clear and emotive. Her hair now flowed in gentle waves in the same bright blonde colour that she shared with her brother, ending but a little past her shoulders.

Her frame had only slimmed a little with the extra height; she was pleased that there weren't to many structural changes to her body. She released a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding and ran a quivering hand through her smooth hair.

"I am Aurora," she whispered to herself, giggling at the admission. She sat on the bed in wonder, unable to remove her gaze from the blonde in the mirror.

Gathering her nerves she stood and moved out of the room. With the extra height she had assumed that her movements would be awkward and stilted but she found that the extra length provided the ability for her to glide gracefully across the floor. She slowly made her way to the stairs, leaning over the banister slightly to catch any sounds of her new family. She heard faint conversation from the kitchen.

As she made her way down the stairs the conversation became easier to hear. She remained silent and listened intently.

"Do you think she will sleep all night?" Draco's voice asked with a hint of impatience.

"I'm not sure darling. Severus did say it depended on how much of the charm needed to be removed," Narcissa explained.

"Severus only gave her a small amount of dreamless sleep. I don't imagine that she will be asleep for much longer" Lucius advised. Hermione grinned at the conversation, tugging on her pyjamas nervously.

"I wonder what she'll look like," Draco said quietly. Narcissa chuckled.

"I imagine she'll look very similar to you darling," she said lovingly.

"Only more beautiful," Lucius supplied. Hermione clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggle at Draco's sound of outrage.

"Father!" he exclaimed. Lucius chuckled quietly.

"Beautiful isn't a word you want to be associated with Son. Handsome, certainly, but not beautiful," he explained.

Hermione shook her head in wonder at the natural conversation between her parents and her brother. It still surprised her that her family was so different to the evil Slytherins that she had pasted them as. Of course, Draco's behaviour at school did not help with the perception she had, but she was beginning to look past the stories and rumours and see her family for what they were. She finally felt like she was in a place where she truly belonged.

"I have told Tinker to keep an eye on Hermione and to let me know when she awakes. She will be horribly confused and she may have some residue of pain remaining," she heard Narcissa tell the others. She found it funny that she had not already bumped into Tinker; the little elf was usually quite prompt with her instructions.

Suddenly, Hermione squealed in surprise and attempted to leap up a step when the elf in question appeared before her. She lost her footing and her foot slipped from the edge of the step, sending her to the floor with a bump.

Tinker; once she'd realised that she's surprised the blonde haired girl, clasped her small hands to her mouth and her eyes widened in guilt.

"Tinker is sorry Little Mistress. Little Mistress was so quiet when she gots up from her bed that Tinker did not hear her. Tinker was supposed to let Mistress know when Little Mistress was awake. Tinker will go and sit in the oven; she is a bad elf," the little elf twittered quickly, her voice high pitched. Hermione quickly shook her head, gripping a wooden spool of the banister as her muscles protested the sudden fall. She grit her teeth and attempted to sooth the upset house elf.

"It wasn't your fault Tinker, you simply surprised me. I should not have been stood on the stairs so carelessly. Please, please don't get in the oven!" she exclaimed. Tinker cried into her hands, her small shoulders bobbing quickly with the force of her cries. The noise carried into the kitchen and the door opened quickly, bathing them both in light.

Hermione winced as she tried to stand, grunting when a pair of strong hands captured her arms in order to help her.

"What are you doing out of bed you silly girl," her Father's voice murmured gently. She stood with his assistance and looked up into his eyes, feeling suddenly overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught of emotion brought on by his presence. She smiled at him and felt the overwhelming urge to throw her arms around him.

Lucius suddenly had a blonde head buried in his chest and a pair of arms wrapped around his torso. He grunted slightly and his arms came around the girl to hold her in place. He turned slightly to give Narcissa an incredulous look, but was only met with a gentle smile. Draco was staring wide eyed at his sister.

"I'm sorry," Hermione whispered, "I don't even know you that well but this...feels right," she said. Lucius smiled slightly and patted her back.

"It will be all right," he murmured. She nodded and sighed, cuddling her head closer to his chest. She felt the vibration of his chuckle against her cheek. Narcissa placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"Come and sit down Hermione, you must be in some pain," she said. Hermione nodded and pulled away from her Father. She was suddenly filled with the feeling of loss and grabbed his arm quickly. His eyes quickly gave her a look of concern and she shook her head.

"Don't leave me," she whispered. Lucius frowned but nodded, leading her over to the sofa and sitting closely beside her. Hermione sat in confusion, threading her arms around his Father's arm tightly, leaning her body down to rest her head on his shoulder... She frowned and shook her head, attempting to clear it.

"Hermione, what is wrong?" Narcissa asked, sitting across from her. Hermione shrugged.

"I'm not sure. I haven't felt this way before," she explained, "I feel a great sense of loss when he is not with me. It is strange; I didn't feel this when I woke up. It was only after I saw him again. The last time I was in this house with him and he held me so close was when I was taken from him. I can't let that happen again...it _won't_ happen again," she explained. Her voice was full of emotion as she gripped her Father's arm tighter. Narcissa shared another look of concern with Lucius, leaning forward to assess her daughter.

"Do you remember that Hermione?" she asked quietly. Hermione thought for a moment, searching her mind for the memory. When it didn't come to the forefront of her mind she shook her head, frustrated.

"No! I don't have a memory of it but I know it happened! I can feel it!" she exclaimed. Lucius quickly brought a hand up and his fingers through her hair in an attempt to sooth her.

"I am not going anywhere," he whispered. Hermione nodded against his shoulder.

Narcissa frowned, concerned about the girls behaviour.

"Aurora," she whispered. Hermione felt a shiver run through her body at the name, her mind lighting with recognition of her true name. She could not see a memory of the name being used to address her, but her mind knew that that was her name.

"I told you when we first met that I was not her; that we were two different people. I may not remember being her but I know in my heart that I am her," she explained quietly, sighing.

"How do you feel about that?" Narcissa asked her. Hermione shrugged.

"Honestly, I'm terrified. This is happening so fast and I don't really understand what I am feeling at the moment," she said. Narcissa nodded. Draco; who had taken the seat beside his mother, frowned.

"Perhaps this is a sign? The charm broke and everything that was hidden can now be revealed. It'll give you a chance to get used to being with us again," he said. Hermione looked at him sadly.

"It can't be as simple as that Draco. I may be Aurora Malfoy now but a part of me is still Hermione Granger. I am still a Gryffindor; still best friends with Harry Potter and I still have my muggle adoptive Parents. I can't simply leave her behind," she explained gently. Draco scowled and crossed his arms.

"Then what was the point of this? What was the point of trying to get close to us if you're going to go back to that life anyway?" he asked sharply. Hermione tensed and Lucius scowled at his son.

"Watch your tone Draco," he said. Hermione smiled gratefully at her father.

"I know you're upset Draco. The point of this was to get to know you as my Brother. You need to understand that my Parents took in a two year old girl and raised her as their own. They put up with her strangeness and unexplainable actions. They remained silent as she pulled further and further away from them whilst looking for the people who she thought were her true family. I finally saw the pain I have caused them and I felt so guilty. I want to know you; all of you, but I cannot let them go," she explained. Draco slouched back into the chair with a sigh, covering his face with his hand.

"It will be like you have gone again," he murmured. Hermione smiled.

"You won't be rid of me that easily. I couldn't bear to live without you; not now I know how I feel about you," she told them, resting her head back on her Father's shoulder.

"We will have a glamour placed on you for when you go back home. It will be less shocking for your adoptive parents that way," Lucius explained. Hermione nodded tiredly.

"They were very understandable when I told them you would be staying the night. They are good people Hermione," Narcissa told her. Hermione smiled.

"I would love for them to meet you all," she whispered. Lucius thread his fingers through her hair as her eyes closed.

"We shall ensure that that is done my darling,"

* * *

 **Thanks for reading xoxo**


	7. When World's Collide

**A.N - I should be ashamed. I'm so sorry guys! A chapter I thought would be so easy turned out to be a nightmare! It's taken me ages to make sure this is right for you! Please don't hate me!**

 **I want to make that I know where the story is going so I don't lose focus.**

 **Hope you all enjoy this chapter - hopefully next one will be up soon :)**

 **Chapter 7:- When Worlds Collide**

Lucius sighed quietly in boredom, sipping dutifully at the crystal glass of Firewhiskey. He stared at the amber liquid, swirling it within the glass absentmindedly as he briefly listened to the vague chatter of his former associates. He allowed his mind to drift to his afternoon plans; he, Narcissa and Draco were spending the afternoon with Aurora and her adoptive parents. It had been three days since the glamour on Aurora had been lifted; three days since he has held her in his arms as he had when she was a baby. He had to admit, silently of course, that he the missed blonde haired girl. Her correspondence came frequently, mostly with stories of her childhood and her adventures during her time at Hogwarts. He read and treasured each letter carefully, keeping them within a secret compartment within his desk drawer in his office.

He missed her. There was no question about it. It reminded him of when she was first taken by Sirius as a child. He would sit for days in their home, staring at her photographs and trying to imagine the feel of her in his arms. He would try to remember her warmth and her particular baby scent that she always carried with her. He was slowly fixing the piece of his heart that she had taken with him when she went missing, so much so that it was becoming painful for him to be apart from her once more.

"Are you even listening Malfoy!" a gruff voice abruptly brought him from his reverie. He scowled at the dark haired man sat across the dining table, placing his glass neatly on the table.

"I am always listening Nott," he said quietly. Nott smirked and crossed his arms.

"Really? What do you say to my idea then?" he asked with a raised brow. Lucius smirked back and shook his head.

"The Quidditch World Cup is a high profile event, Nott. To even consider the idea of attacking the Muggles there is beyond ridiculous. Your so called 'alibi' that you gave the Aurors at your first arrest would not hold up a second time. The Dark Lord is dead, you cannot blame your participation on him again," he explained. The expression on Nott's face fell into one of anger; he curled his fingers into fists.

"You have to be caught first Malfoy," he growled. Lucius sat back in the chair with a shrug.

"Why take the risk? It was the risky maneuver you pulled back when the Dark Lord reined that lost you your wife, was it not?" he asked sharply. Nott's eyes widened as he quickly drew his wand to point it threateningly at the blonde haired man.

"You will not mention her to me," he snapped quietly. The other occupants around the table watched silently with bated breath, eyeing each man carefully. Lucius' expression never faltered.

"You have a son Nott, what happens to him once the Aurors find out that you are still actively participating in Muggle baiting? I for one am not willing to risk the reputation of my family, or the happiness of my Wife and heir," he stated.

"It is what the Dark Lord would have wanted!" Nott snarled. Lucius scoffed.

"The Dark Lord would have had more finesse than attacking a few Muggles at the Quidditch World Cup! You must have been heavily inebriated at each of the raids we joined Nott, as I certainly do not remember attacking people at a highly public event!" he exclaimed. He heard murmurs of agreement around him.

"The Dark Lord wanted us to inspire fear in the minds of those abominable excuses of witches and wizards – starting with the muggles! The Wizarding World has become all too complacent; they need to be reminded where their rightful place is!" Nott stated.

"I remember agreeing to follow orders when I took the Dark Mark Nott. The Dark Lord always advised that if anything was to happen to him we were to keep our heads to the ground and wait for his return," Lucius explained.

"How will he return? He is dead," Crabbe spoke up hesitantly. Lucius rolled his eyes.

"The Dark Lord was not unintelligent. He took…measures…to ensure his revival," he said quietly. Nott frowned in confusion.

"What measures?" he asked. Lucius smirked again.

"Had the Dark Lord wished for you to know he would have certainly shared the information with you himself. My Father was very high in his regard; he was trusted completely," he said. Nott slowly lowered his wand and sat.

"It's funny how your Father suddenly disappeared shortly after the fall of the Dark Lord, Malfoy. Considering he was 'high in the Dark Lord's regard', he certainly didn't stay around for the aftermath," he said. Lucius shrugged.

"My Father knew that the Minestry would never believe he joined the Dark Lord against his own will, he was too loud about his beliefs. He sadly took the life of my Mother and his own along with it before the Aurors could find him," he explained stoically, ignoring the sudden pain he felt at the mention of his Mother.

Truthfully, once Lucius had managed to talk his way out of Azkaban, he had quickly made his way to Malfoy Manor to confront his Father. The location of their home had been given to the Aurors before Lucius had been arrested and there was only very few people who knew of that location. Narcissa's Parents, Sirius and Lucius' Parents.

It was during that confrontation that his Mother had thrown herself before him to block a nasty cutting curse sent from his Father. She died in his arms, telling him once more that she loved him. It was in his anger and grief that he avenged her death and killed his Father with his own wand. He took a moment to rearrange his Parent's bodies to have it appear that Abraxas killed his Mother before turning his wand on himself in a fit of madness. The Aurors arrived the following morning to advise his family of their loss.

"So are we doing this or not?" Goyle asked quietly. Nott shared a look with Lucius before turning his attention to the red haired man on his left.

"If Lucius is too afraid to participate, there are still enough of us to create enough terror. Myself, Crabbe, Goyle, Macnair, Yaxley...Alecto I trust you and Amycuss will be particularly enthusiastic," Nott said. The dark haired woman at the end of the table gave a coy smile and a wink to the older man.

"It will be my...pleasure," she said seductively. Lucius felt his stomach roll in disgust.

"You are all making a big mistake. Should the Dark Lord learn of this you will not be rewarded," he told them. Nott smirked.

"We understand if you want to be the slimy little coward you really are Lucius. We all know that the few moments you spent in Azkaban were enough to lock you away in that big empty house for a few months," Nott sniped. Lucius scowled but remained silent. Nott scoffed. "You really are that pathetic little weasel you always were. Your Father was ashamed of you for being cowardly; he'll be turning in his grave now-"

"Don't misjudge common sense for cowardice Nott. That kind of thinking can land you in a world of trouble," he interrupted sharply. Nott released a nasty chuckle.

"Truth hurts doesn't it Lucius? What kind of Weasel can you be if you are involved in the crime?" he asked. Lucius shook his head.

"I won't be involved in your excursions Nott," he replied. Nott smirked evilly.

"Your Wife and Son will be at the Match, won't they? I'm sure you wouldn't want us to confuse one of them with a blood traitor...would you?" he asked. Lucius felt his blood chill at the veiled threat. He grit his teeth in anger, his hand twitched to draw his wand from the top of his cane. His Family was always his weakness. A spot so soft that he would do anything for them.

"It seems that you have me at a disadvantage," he ground through his teeth. Nott gave a self serving smile and a nod.

"It seems I have. If only you could have come to the conclusion without the threat Lucius," he said, "I'm sure Our Lord would have liked to have known that it took a threat to have you participate in something that should come naturally to you."

Lucius shook his head.

"We'll see."

Upon his arrival back at their home, Lucius was surprised to find Narcissa bustling around, her wand in one hand and a string of pearls in another. Once he stepped from the fire and into the lounge she lunged at him, her eyes wide with stress.

"You were showing Aurora your Mother's pearls that she gifted to me the last Christmas we spent with her. I have found the necklace but I cannot find the matching ear rings, you need to help me find them!" she exclaimed frantically. Lucius placed his hands gently on her arms and gave her a fond smile.

"They are most likely in the desk drawer in my study," his fingers tightened to stop her from rushing away from his hold. Her eyes turned back inquisitively; Lucius sighed.

"Darling you must remain calm. Should any of us feel apprehensive about visiting Aurora's adoptive family, it should be Draco. He has spent little time in the Muggle World and may find it quite overwhelming," he said. Narcissa smirked.

"He's washed and gelled his hair three times," she commented. Lucius felt a brief flicker of annoyance at his Son's concerns over his appearance and gave his wife a pointed look.

"I blame you soley for this my Dear," he stated. Narcissa shrugged.

"I had to play dress up with one of my children. My daughter was not available so It had to be by Son!" she exclaimed. She took a deep breath and felt her body release it's tension; she ran her hands down the soft material of his dark robes.

"You are dressed rather smartly for a visit to Nott Manor Darling," she commented. Lucius felt his cheeks flush in embarrassment and he cleared his throat uncomfortably. Narcissa smiled warmly, "You dressed up for the Grangers," she said. It wasn't a question.

Lucius cleared his throat and lead his wife to his study to collect the earrings she had been seeking. The mention of Nott manor brought back the upcoming actions of his past comrades. His stomach clenched in disgust.

As Narcissa made her way around the desk and slid her hand into the varnished wooden drawer Lucius steeled himself for his explanation.

"Narcissa, there is something we must discuss-" he began. A knock on the open doorway stole her attention and she smiled warmly at her blonde haired son.

"Darling, you look wonderful," she complimented, moving to her Sons side. Draco gave a rare smile and checked his clothes with some hesitancy. Lucius raised a brow at his Son's unusual behaviour.

"Hermione said I should wear trousers and a shirt. I said I'd wear a tie but she said I didn't need to be so formal," he said uncertainly. He then looked over his Father's robes and bit his lip worriedly, "Are you wearing your robes Father? I didn't think the muggles would appreciate it," he said.

Lucius shared a look with Narcissa before carefully shrugging out of his robes and laying them gently on his office chair. Narcissa gave him a pleased smile and patted Draco gently on the shoulder.

"Your Father has just returned from a visit with one of his...Friends," she explained. Draco nodded and finally allowed a relaxed smirk to fall onto his lips.

"We're dressed as muggles!" he exclaimed, laughing like a child who was causing trouble. Lucius smirked and rolled his eyes, slipping his fingers into his vest to check the time on his pocket watch. He gestured to the door as he snapped the watch shut.

"Come, we are already running a little late," he said, "We shall apparated from the lounge," he told them. Draco stopped suddenly with a horrified expression.

"We're apparating? I thought we'd be flooing there, Hermione said the Ministry attached her house to the Floo Network!" he exclaimed. Lucius frowned.

"It makes no difference Draco," he said. Draco gave him a wide eyed expression.

"I used non – flammable gel in my hair! I don't usually use it because it is thicker and congeals my hair together! Had I known I could have used my favourite gel!" he exclaimed, as though it was one of the worst things that could have happened to him.

Lucius stared at his Son for a moment in complete silence. He then turned a second pointed look to his wife who was giving her Son the same expression. Once she caught his gaze she gave him a sheepish grin and gave another small shrug.

"I see your point. There's not much I can do about it now," she said. Lucius sighed and shook his head, wrapping an arm around her waist and an arm around Draco's shoulder.

"I do hope my Daughter is not as easily worked up as the two of you. I wouldn't know what to do with myself otherwise," he stated. Narcissa and Draco shared a small smile before they allowed Lucius to take them away with a pop of apparation

Hermione eyed the cushion that was perched precariously on the arm of the couch. She scowled at the innocent object, snatched it into her hands and settled it into the corner of the couch neatly; making sure to pat it so it looked plump.

Nodding in satisfaction, she pulled a yellow rag from the small box of cleaning products and wiped the wooden coffee table that was sat in front of the couch.

"Hermione Love, Perhaps I should let you know that you've wiped that table four times now. We may not have one of those house elf things but we do keep a tidy house," John said with an amused smile on his lips. Hermione scowled at her adoptive Father, choosing to ignore him in favour of cleaning.

John shook his head and leant back comfortably in his arm chair, crossing one leg over the other. When Hermione had told them that she wanted them to meet her real parents and her brother both he and Anne had been apprehensive but willing to make sure Hermione was content. They had already briefly met Narcissa when she had arrived to notify them that Hermione wished to stay the night with them.

Anne had been wary; she knew nothing of Hermione's real parents apart from what she had told them.

"Is there anything wrong with her?" she'd asked cautiously. Narcissa had paused for a moment, deciding which best explanation to give.

"Hermione will be fine. She has come into contact with our house wards and we believe it is having a hand in removing what ever charm her abductors placed on her. As a precaution we have asked for our friend to examine her; just to ensure she does not suffer any pain through the removal of the charm," she explained.

Anne and John had shared an anxious look. Anne stood abruptly.

"If she is not well then perhaps it is best that she come home, she will need us to comfort her," she stated. Narcissa bit her lip unconsciously, an expression that John fondly remembered his daughter performing when she was nervous or concerned. John stood and placed his hands on Anne's shoulders.

"Perhaps this will give Hermione's Parent's an opportunity to become a little closer to her Dear. There will be other times she will seek comfort from them when she is not with us, they will need the practise after all," he explained to her gently. Anne may have been a little more understanding of Hermione's need to meet and get to know her real family but she still had small doubts of her Daughter's return.

Narcissa had given him a grateful look, linking her fingers together solemnly.

"Hermione is going to be well looked after by my Husband. When I left he was already ensuring that she was comfortable in her bedroom. In her current state she seemed to draw comfort from him...it was lovely to see," she said fondly. John smiled, thankful that his daughter's family was actively ensuring she was well looked after.

"You will keep us informed?" he asked. Narcissa nodded.

"Of course, you are Hermione's parents just as much as we are. We will bring her home tomorrow for you," she said. Anne gave her a brief smile.

"Thank you," she had said.

John sighed, picking up the glass of water from the side table beside his armchair. Anne was becoming a little more receptive to the idea of sharing Hermione with her real family. She was currently in their kitchen wearing her pink apron putting all her concentration into cooking a fabulous dinner for their guests.

Hermione critically observed the lounge, nodding in satisfaction. She released a sigh and picked up the box of cleaning products, swiftly making her way back towards the kitchen. On her way past her Father's chair she snatched at the glass he had been drinking from, forcing him to choke in surprise. John sat forward and coughed into his hands, using the woollen sleeve of his jumper to wipe his mouth.

"I'm sorry the swallowing slowed me down Love," he said sarcastically. Hermione continued into the kitchen with a roll of her eyes. She swiftly placed the box in the cupboard beneath the sink and the glass into the dishwasher. Anne shared a glance of amusement with her as she listened to her husband choke before turning her attention back to the bolognaise sauce simmering on the stove.

"Will you do me a favour Hermione and check the rolls in the oven? They've been in for half an hour so I think they'll be done," she asked. Hermione nodded and picked up the nearest towel. She opened the door of the oven and carefully reached inside, taking care to ensure her hand was fully covered by the towel. She withdrew holding a hot tray of beautifully smelling baked break rolls. She smiled as she placed them onto a plate.

"They are to go with the soup," Anne advised. Hermione nodded silently as she wiped her hands on the towel and flipped it over her shoulder.

"It all looks amazing Mum," she said quietly. She stood up behind the older woman and wrapped her hands around her waist, resting her head against her back. "Thank you for doing this," she whispered.

Anne was silent for a moment before lowering a hand to pat at her daughter's.

"I know I haven't been the most accepting of this situation love. I suppose I've realised how close I was to losing you; not because you wanted to stay with your real parents but because I believed you would want to leave us," she explained. She lowered the flame beneath the sauce and turned in her Daughter's embrace, wrapping her own arms around her smaller body. She pulled her into a hug and rested her head against her hair. "I have come to realise, since your Mother returned you to us the other night, that I must accept this. I wasn't as ready at accepting your magic so I'm going to make damn sure I'll be accepting your parents," she told her. She pressed a kiss to her head as Hermione sighed. "I promise," she whispered.

Hermione nodded happily and emotionally, unable to speak past the lump in her throat. She had come to realise upon her return how much she had been pushing her parents away from her. As much as she has started to embrace her true self, she knew there was a part of her that would always be Hermione Granger.

It was how John had found them moments later. He smiled as he rested his shoulder against the doorframe of the kitchen.

"This is what I like to see, my girls playing nicely in the kitchen. You're lucky your Mum's letting you help Hermione. She's never let me cook for her," he told her. The girls pulled away with an amused expression. Hermione turned to her mother questionably.

"Why?" she asked. Anne gave the sauce one final stir before taking it off the heat. She wiped her hands on a towel before turning pointedly to her husband.

"Your Father hasn't got the best concept of time; or rather he didn't when we were first married. I asked for him to make me a simple plate of marmalade on toast as I was feeling unwell and was laid up in bed to recover. About 10 minutes later I was shocked out of bed by the sound of the fire alarm. I struggled down stairs to make sure our house was not burning to the ground; to find your Father with the toaster on the side and rooting around the inside with a knife!" she explained. Hermione turned to her Father in shock and took in his sudden sheepish expression.

"That's the first thing you learn in Primary School – how to make toast!" she exclaimed. John drew himself up to defend himself.

"Your Grandmother had just bought us that toaster for Christmas! If anything had a skewed concept of time it was that bloody thing!" he exclaimed. Anne smirked.

"In reality, your Father had put the bread in the toaster and had left the kitchen to start watching the football. It was only when the smoke alarm went off that he remembered that he was cooking," she explained. Hermione snickered.

"You and Football," she commented. John shrugged.

"What can I say, I was a Hotspurs kind of guy!" he exclaimed. Anne rolled her eyes.

"You still are a 'Hotspurs kind of guy'!" she gestured to the drawer closest to him, "Make yourself useful love and go and set the table," she demanded. John gave her a mock salute before digging into the draw to pull out several pairs of cutlery. He gave his daughter a wink before making his way into the dining room.

"Is the lounge tidy love?" Anne asked her. Hermione nodded and Anne gave a nod of satisfaction, "Excellent, I'll finish up in here. Why don't you go into the lounge and wait for them?" she asked. Hermione nodded.

In a moment of hesitation she looked down at the dress she had chosen to wear. Biting nervously as her lip she quickly turned back to her Mother.

"Do I look ok?" she asked. Anne turned in surprise and gazed at her daughter thoughtfully.

Hermione had never usually given a moment's thought to her appearance. As a child she had resolved to accept that she had been cursed with extremely bushy curls that were in no mood to be tamed. She preferred to concentrate on her studies then allow herself to think of something as trivial as her general appearance.

When Hermione was returned to them last Anne noticed the subtle differences to her appearance. Her hair had grown several inches and the curls sat much calmer against her shoulders. She had grown a little taller and much slender. Hermione had explained that when the wards removed the glamour that had been placed on her as a child it had been impossible to place the same charm on her without causing further pain.

"My Father chose to change my hair and eye colour back to what it was. He said there wasn't much of a difference, just small things only certain people will take notice of," she explained nonchalantly. It was the first time Hermione had spoken of her real parents in such comfort and it surprised them greatly.

"You are becoming close to them then?" Anne had asked hesitantly. Hermione frowned in confusion.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Anne and John shared a look before she broached the question carefully.

"Well, when you left yesterday morning it was 'Narcissa' and 'Lucius'. Today, you seem to have changed to Mother and Father," she explained quietly. Hermione gave an expression of understanding and thought for a moment before giving her adoptive parents her most radiant smile. The Dentists noticed her straighter teeth immediately.

"I suppose I am becoming closer to them. I'm lucky really; I not only have a Mother and a Father but I still have my Mum and Dad," she said. Her words lifted any fear in Anne's mind and the weight of it lifted from her shoulders.

"You look gorgeous Darling. Grandma has a fabulous eye for fashion; she knew that dress would suit you immediately. I must admit, those longer legs do compliment the outfit entirely," she advised. Hermione grinned and smoothed her hands over her dress with a pleased expression.

"I'd rather she be wearing trousers from now on!" John's voice carried in from the dining room. The girls laughed and rolled their eyes.

As their laughter quietened the doorbell rang. Hermione felt a sudden thrill of excitement and she quickly turned to make her way back into the lounge.

"I'll get it Darling," John said, straightening the final fork before leading her into the lounge. As he opened the door into the entrance hallway she stood nervously at the door of the dining room.

"Hello! Good evening! Please come in! Let me take your coats!" John's welcoming tone carried into the lounge and Hermione smiled fondly. "The lounge is through this door here. The girls are just making the finishing preparations; they haven't been still all day!" he exclaimed. The door opened and John led their guests into the lounge, offering Hermione a grin.

The second figure through the door was the tall body of her Father. She felt her magic pulse and she instinctively rushed across the room to him, throwing her arms around his torso to bury her face into his chest. He grunted in surprise and quickly caught her within his arms.

"Daddy," she whispered, his scent soothing her magic. He chuckled quietly and ran a hand over her hair.

"I have missed you too," he murmured.

"Still a Daddies girl to this day," Narcissa commented from beside them with a warm smile. Hermione pulled away and allowed her Mother to wrap her arms around her, "It has been only days and I already pine for you darling," she whispered. Hermione gave her a tight squeeze and pulled away with a smile. She glanced over her Mother's shoulder and found her brother standing awkwardly, eyeing his surroundings cautiously. Hermione laughed and reached around her parents to pull Draco further into the room.

She turned to her Dad who had watched their brief reunion with a small smile.

"This is my Dad, John Granger," she introduced quietly. Lucius stepped forward and held out his hand for the older man to shake.

"Lucius Malfoy," he said. John shook his head with a nod, "You have met my wife, Narcissa," he gestured to the blonde haired women at his side. John took her offered hand and pressed a gentle kiss to the top. Narcissa blushed and gave a high pitched giggle.

"He has even more manners than you Lucius! You are out of practise Darling," she commented. John chuckled.

"My wife reminds me quite often of the consequences should I not behave accordingly Mrs Malfoy," he explained. Narcissa smiled.

"Please, call me Narcissa," she said. John nodded acceptingly. Draco stepped forward and abruptly offered his hand.

"My name is Draco Regulus Malfoy, Mr Granger. Thank you for the invitation to your home," he said formally. John raised a brow at his tone and shook the offered hand.

"Please, call me John, Draco. You are all most welcome into our home," he said. Hermione rested a hand on her brother's shoulder and pulled him back to her side.

"He's not the Minister for Magic Draco, you needn't be so formal," she told him. Draco gave their Mother a cautious glance before replying.

"Mother also reminded me of the consequences should I not use my manners. You know as well as I that means a smack to the back of my head. She might mess up my hair!" he exclaimed quietly. Hermione laughed and rolled her eyes.

"You and your hair," she commented quietly. Draco smirked and shrugged. "My Mum's just in the kitchen getting the first course ready," she told her Parents.

"I hope you're hungry," John stated, "She's been cooking up a storm all day!" he exclaimed.

"You needn't have gone to too much trouble!" Narcissa advised. John shook his head.

"It was important to Hermione. To Anne that meant cook a meal fit for kings," he explained.

The door to the dining room opened and Anne stood in the doorway with a smile.

"My ears are burning Granger, I do hope you're not talking about me," she said. John quickly moved to her side and gave her a firm kiss on the cheek.

"Never my Darling. And if I must then only lovely things," he answered.

Lucius and Narcissa watched the Grangers with amusement and Draco with some surprise. He had only ever truly witnessed a close relationship between his own parents so to see such a close relationship between another couple was rather strange. Hermione smiled warmly and moved to her Mum's side.

"Mum, this is Lucius, Narcissa and Draco Malfoy," she introduced quietly. Anne nodded silently.

"Thank you for coming," she said politely. Narcissa smiled.

"It was our pleasure. The both of you are responsible for how Hermione has matured; It is an honour to meet you!" she exclaimed. Anne acknowledged her with another smile before gesturing to the dining room.

"If you'd like to take you seats, I'll prepare the first course."

Dinner was a quiet but comfortable affair. Hermione watched happily as both sets of parents seemed to converse easily. Anne had seemed a little hesitant at first, but her curiosity to her daughter's real parents soon got the better of her and she was soon asking them plenty of questions about the beginning of Hermione's life. In turn, Lucius and Narcissa had burning questions of Hermione's childhood.

"We knew that she was powerful as soon as she was born," Narcissa explained, "she was eight months old when she had her first burst of 'accidental magic'. We say accidental, but we're convinced that it was no accident," she explained. Hermione frowned.

"What do you mean?" she asked. Lucius smirked.

"We had a guest who had a disagreement with Narcissa and her parents. You were very protective of your family and did not like it if they were insulted or upset," he explained. Hermione's brows rose in surprise but Draco scoffed.

"We all know how protective she can be for people she loves," he murmured, rubbing absentmindedly at his cheek. Hermione grinned.

John laughed, "You should have seen her when the last book she wanted was taken from the library! We had to find her at least another three different books to appease her!" he exclaimed. Hermione looked affronted.

"Dad, I was not that bad," she commented. John raised a brow at her.

"Hermione, you once found the boy who was reading the book you wanted. When he disagreed to your offered trade of books you rugby tackled him to the ground and wrestled the book out of the poor boys hands! Had the Librarian not been happy with your thirst to read she would have barred you for life!" he exclaimed. Draco laughed.

"Madam Pince loves you too, I caught her staring at you across the library with a fond expression last year," he stated. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"That's because I actually follow the rules in the Library," she told him. He smirked.

"I bet she loves you that much she'd even let you into the restricted section," he said. Hermione gave her own Malfoyesque smirk.

"Who needs to sweet talk the librarian when Lockhart was willing to give anything to his favourite pupil," she told him. Draco gave her an expression of surprise.

"Lockhart let you go into the restricted section?" he asked. Hermione remained silent and took a long drink. Lucius shared a look with Narcissa before giving her a questioning glance.

"Why did _you_ need to go into the Restricted Section?" he asked carefully. Hermione gave him an innocent smile.

"No reason," she answered. Lucius smirked and turned to address his son.

"Not so much of a 'goodie goodie Gryffindor' is she Draco?" he asked sarcastically. Draco rolled his eyes.

"They let her and those boys get away with murder!" he exclaimed. Anne and John shared a look.

"We have had concerns about Hermione's 'Adventures' whilst she has been at Hogwarts. She probably hasn't told us everything that has happened," John explained. Anne scoffed.

"We wouldn't have known she had been petrified in her second year if her Head of House hadn't had to have told us," she said. Lucius and Narcissa suddenly stiffened and both gazed at their daughter for confirmation. Hermione gazed sheepishly at the table.

"You were Petrified?" Lucius whispered. Narcissa turned to her son.

"Why didn't you tell us?" she asked. Draco winced and covered his head.

"I forgot! The mandrake juice saved her and she was all right. It didn't come to mind," he explained. Hermione shook her head.

"I'm fine now," she said reassuringly to her parents, more to her Father whose guilt could be read all over his face.

"Hermione, your Parents need to know that you still take the occasional pain potion when you suffer with a sudden attack of stiffness," Anne explained.

Lucius closed his eyes in pain and stood suddenly.

"Excuse me," he whispered, making his way back into the lounge. Hermione sighed sadly and stood, gesturing to her parents to stay in the dining room.

"Hermione?" John asked. Hermione shook her head.

"I won't be a moment, stay here," she told him.

She found her Father stood by the front door, taking deep breaths of the warm air. She knew he felt guilty about what happened to her during the basilisk attacks in her second year. Harry had told her that he suspected Lucius had placed Riddle's diary in Ginny's cauldron during their visit to Diagon Ally prior to their second year.

"Potter told you that it was I who planted the diary on one of your friends," he said suddenly. Hermione sighed.

"Yes he did," she said gently. Lucius took another deep, shuddering breath and released it slowly.

"I don't know if it will mean anything to you; I never meant for anyone to get hurt. Least of all you," his words broke at the end and his head dropped to his chest; his fingers clenched the door frame as he fought to control his emotions. Hermione watched him sadly for a moment before placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I forgive you," she whispered.

Lucius' head snapped up and he stared at her with an expression mixed with pain, surprise and awe. He was silent for a moment before he shook his head.

"I do not deserve it. I have made so many bad decisions, each one of them making a victim out of you," he said. Hermione smiled sadly.

"I'll admit, when I found out that you had put not only me but my best friend in jeopardy I was so angry at you. With how Draco was with me at school I thought that perhaps you had done it on purpose, to make sure that there were no more Muggleborns at Hogwarts," she explained, "Even after knowing you for such a short time I can honestly say I don't believe it. I know you wouldn't intentionally want to hurt people," she told him. Lucius stared at her for a moment before shaking his head slightly.

"At one time, I thought it was what I wanted. I stood by my Father's side and I thought I wanted to join the Dark Lord. I then fell in love with your Mother and I began to realise there was more to life than hatred blood purity," he explained. He stepped forward and placed a hand hesitantly on her left cheek, threading his fingers into her hair. Hermione closed her eyes at the contact as her magic gave a content thrum. "It wasn't until I held you in my arms that I knew I did not want that life. I only followed because I was chained," he whispered.

Hermione sighed.

"There is always a way to break chains Daddy," she whispered, "You will always have a choice."

Lucius shook his head.

"The only way this chain is broken is by death. Magic can be the most compelling thing in the world," he explained gently. Hermione disagreed but remained silent. She allowed her Father to pull her into his arms and buried her face into his chest.

"I have found you; there is nothing that will take you away from me now," He murmured. Hermione nodded into his chest silently.

Moments later, the door to the lounge opened and Narcissa popped her head through the opening.

"Is everything all right?" she asked quietly. Father and daughter pulled away; Hermione nodded.

"Everything's fine. I don't blame Father for what happened. It is all down to Riddle at the end of the day," she said. Narcissa gave her a grateful smile.

"You have a good heart Aurora Malfoy," she whispered. She then gestured to the lounge, "I think it best we return to the dining room. Although I've appeased any concerns your Parents had with your Father's abrupt departure they have been left alone with your Brother and we all know how that can turn out," she joked. Hermione laughed and with one final smile to her Father, she followed her Mother back into the lounge to finish their family dinner.

Once the desert had been finished they all moved to the lounge to continue their discussion.

"Have you any questions Draco? You've been mighty quiet all night," John asked. Draco's cheeks coloured at the extra attention and cleared his throat.

"Well...What happens now?" he asked.

"What do you mean darling?" Narcissa asked.

"The reason that Aurora had to go into hiding to begin with is because You – Know – Who was a threat. He's not around anymore and won't have any sort of power to make her his heir," he explained, "I have never been officially named as the Malfoy Heir so technically the right belongs to Aurora...as much as I would like to hold the mantle it's not mine to hold."

Hermione's brows raised at the level of maturity in her Brother's explanation. He was correct; technically she was still the Malfoy heir.

"I thought we'd agreed that Hermione was to spend her time equally between both families," Anne said warily. Narcissa nodded.

"Yes, there is nothing going to change with that Anne I assure you. I think what Draco is trying to ask is if we are going to let the Wizarding World know that Aurora is in fact the rightful heir of the Malfoy Family," she explained. Draco nodded.

Hermione was surprised.

"You would want me to officially become Aurora Malfoy?" she asked. Narcissa smiled.

"Of course we would! It is what we named you and we'd be proud to have you stand with us again," she told her. Hermione bit her lip, unsure of how to answer. She looked to her Father who was watching the exchange silently.

"What do you think Father?" she asked. Lucius considered the idea for a moment before answering carefully.

"How do you think your friends would react to the news?" he asked. Hermione felt a flutter of sickness in her stomach at the thought of telling her friends. Harry and Ron were not well known for their understanding. Draco scoffed.

"Potter and Weasley would have to get used to it," he sneered.

"If they are your friends Hermione then they would accept you as you are and not for your name," John said. Hermione nodded quietly and shared a look with her Father.

"I think I'm torn. I would love to be seen as your daughter and not have to wear a glamour. I would still be me; just with a different name and appearance. On the other hand, I am worried how Harry and Ron would react. They haven't exactly had a good experience with the Malfoys," she explained, "I am due to go to the Weasleys in the next couple of weeks as they are taking me to the Quidditch World Cup. I wouldn't want to ruin the experience with an argument," she said.

"Then perhaps we make the announcement after the World Cup? That way you have enough time to let your friends accept the truth before school starts," Narcissa said. Hermione considered this before nodding slowly.

"I do only have one exception. I'd like Hermione to be my middle name. I know you picked my Grandmother's name as my middle name, and I will still use it but Hermione has been my life for so long," she explained.

Narcissa and Lucius shared a look.

"Aurora Hermione Laurette Malfoy. I think it has a lovely ring to it," Narcissa murmured. Lucius smiled.

"As beautiful as she is," he said.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed xoxox**


	8. When a Secret is Kept

**AN: I Know...I know...I feel like I need to be burned at the stake! JANUARY 2016 when I last updated! I can't apologise more! Thank you to the people who have still followed this story when most will have given up! I have now got all my chapters mapped out, so I know in which direction this story is going to go. So please, expect regular updates soon.**

 **Love and thanks to you all!**

 **With no further ado: Chapter 8:-  
**

 **Chapter 8: - When Secrets are Kept**

Hermione watched wearily as Mrs Weasley screamed at her twin sons, shaking a wooden spoon that was clutched in her white knuckled fist.

"Your Father and I taught you better than that boys! Your Father works for the Misuse of Muggle

Artefacts office for goodness sake, how do you think this will reflect on him!" she screamed.

"It's not as bad as what Ron did last year when he flew that car to Hogwarts!" Fred exclaimed. If it was possible Mrs Weasley's face coloured even more. Hermione chose that moment to hastily make her exit from the kitchen, to avoid listening to the irate mother any further.

She smiled at Ginny as the younger red head rolled her eyes.

"Mum's always trying to discourage their pranks and experiments. Hopefully she'll finally realise that they're going to have a future in that area and leave them to it," Ginny stated. Hermione laughed.

"Somehow I highly doubt that," she answered, "are the boys upstairs?" she asked. Ginny nodded.

"Ron started going on about the World Cup and tried to convert Harry to support Bulgaria just because Krum is the seeker for them," she explained. Hermione nodded with a small smile, she never found that she much in common with Ginny so began to make her way over to the stairs.

"I'll see if I can convince him that Ireland are the better team then shall I?" she asked, Ginny laughed and nodded, offering her a small wave before turning her attention to the book in her hands.

Hermione sighed and began to climb the stairs to the top floor where Ron's small bedroom was found. She had been at the Weasley's for several days and has quickly fallen into the hustle and bustle of the busy family and magical life. It had never bothered her before, watching the Weasley family act as just that; A Family, however the last several days had been torturous for her. She greatly missed both her muggle parents and her new family.

During July, she had gotten used to the quiet and rather sarcastic humour of her twin brother, the calm and comforting touch of her Father and the loving words of her Mother. She had fallen into the Malfoy family as if she had never left as a child and it almost terrified her.

Lucius and Narcissa had sat her down before her arrival at the Weasley home and told her all about the feud between the Malfoys and the Weasleys. It was something that Lucius had maintained as a teenager simply to make his Father happy, now it had become a habit.

"Would you take it back? If you knew everything then that I've told you about them?" she asked. Lucius sighed and shared a glance with Narcissa.

"It is hard to say darling. The relationship between Arthur Weasley and I is similar to the relationship between Draco and your…friends. Do you think if Potter and Weasley knew how Draco could be at home they could take back how they have treated him?" he asked her in return. Hermione smiled.

"I believe that Harry may have accepted Draco's hand in friendship had Draco not ridiculed his new friend. Harry's not exactly a fan of bullies," she explained. Lucius nodded in understanding and sighed, taking his daughter's hand in his.

"You do understand why Draco has been the way that he has?" he asked. Hermione smiled.

"He explained it to me. He missed me and he idolised Harry so when he realised that a friendship with Harry wasn't going to happen he decided to make sure he hurt Harry because he thought he'd lost the chance of finding me," she explained, Narcissa nodded with a sigh.

"Exactly. Draco has always been an emotional child, no matter how much we tried to teach him not to wear his heart on his sleeve. We thought it was because the twin bond that the two of you shared affected him because of your separation," she took Lucius' hand, "We certainly didn't raise him to be the boy that he has been at school," she told her daughter.

"I know that now. I just wish the boys could see that too."

Hermione knew that it would be hard for Draco to treat the boys as his sister's friends rather than his enemies. She also knew that once the boys knew that Draco was her brother, they would find it hard to see him as anything other than their enemy. She sighed; it was going to be difficult to tell them the truth.

Once she reached the top floor she tapped lightly on Ron's bedroom door.

"Err…Who is it?" she heard Ron ask hesitantly. She rolled her eyes.

"It's only me," she said.

The door was suddenly wrenched open and she was quickly tugged inside the room with the door shut firmly behind her. She rubbed at her arm where the long spindly fingers of her red headed friend had grasped her and scowled in his direction. Ron shrugged sheepishly.

"Mum's got enough on her plate without coming into my room and seeing that it's still a tip," he explained. She rolled her eyes again and shook her head, scrunching her nose at the mess. Ron gave a laugh, "Bloody hell Hermione, you shouldn't do that! You almost looked like Malfoy for a second!" he exclaimed.

Hermione schooled her expression into one of exasperation, but inside her heart leapt and her stomach sank at the same time. She hadn't thought; with her glamoured hair and eyes, that her face had changed too much but her friend's comment on her appearance scared and excited her at the same time.

Harry laughed and gave his best friend a shove.

"Don't insult her mate! That's an awful comparison!" he said, moving to pull his female friend into his arms. Hermione smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head just beneath his chin. She frowned when she felt his ribs beneath his shirt and pulled away with a look of concern.

"You're still too thin Harry Potter," she told him. Harry sighed and gave her a pat, offering her a shrug at the same time.

"I'm here now so it's ok. I'm sure a few of Mrs Weasley's breakfasts will fatten me up," he said reassuringly. Hermione gave him a look over and sighed, nodding in agreement.

"You'd tell me if it ever got any worse, wouldn't you?" she asked. Harry gave her a deep smile.

"I probably wouldn't," he said quietly, "Anyway," he changed the subject, "how was your summer?" he asked.

Hermione gave a brief smile and a short nod, pretending to look disinterested.

"Summer went as usual to be honest. Nothing to report," she told him, "have you heard from Sirius?" she asked. She had of course received her own letters from her recently found guardian but was interested to know what Sirius may have said to his Godson. Harry grinned and nodded.

"I think Sirius is out of the country at the moment, which is a relief. Some of his letters have been sent with the strangest of birds," he explained. Hermione nodded with a smile.

"At least the poor bloke doesn't have to worry about Dementors where ever he is. Probably laid out on a beach getting a tan knowing him!" Ron exclaimed. Hermione and Harry shared a look and laughed jointly.

The morning after, Hermione yawned and blearily eyed the cup of tea that had been placed before her along with a hearty helping of Mrs Weasley's special breakfast. Her stomach recoiled at the greasy food that had been handed to her so early in the morning (her parents had raised her on porridge and fruit as a child) but she gingerly picked up her knife and fork and forced herself to tackle the mounds of eggs on her plate. Mrs Weasley smiled and gave her an affectionate pat on the head before heading back to the stove to continue with more breakfast.

"If only mine were as up and ready as you Hermione," she said wistfully. Mr Weasley chucked over his morning paper as he tucked into his half eaten breakfast.

"If our lot were as proactive as Hermione Love, you'd only find something else to yell at them for," he said kindly. Hermione smiled as Mrs Weasley tutted and began to talk to herself about the recent antics of twins.

As she slowly ate her food, Hermione thought back to her evening with her two best friends. She had been waiting all summer to finally have them on their own, to be able to share her news with them. She found, however, that the words couldn't form. Every time she began to tell them, the words froze in her throat and she was paralysed with fear.

Harry and Ron detested the word Malfoy. As soon as the name was heard they would scrunch their noses in disgust and think of every name under the sun for the whole family. Hermione, although she didn't take part, could never find any reason to stop their hatred from growing, until she joined the family. Her Muggle parents had explained that they should love her for who she is and now what her name is, but Hermione knew that there was bad blood between her Father and the Weasleys; and by extension with Harry.

'When we return from the match, I'll tell them then….they'll just have to get used to it', she thought to herself. She released a heavy foreboding sigh which caught the attention of the older Weasley.

"All right there Hermione?" he asked.

Hermione quickly have him a smile of reassurance and a nod.

"Yes…I'm sorry, I think I must be a little tired," she explained. She looked back down at her barely touched food and pushed the plate away, she'd lost her appetite, "I'm sorry Mrs Weasley, I'm not used to eating so much in the morning."

Mrs Weasley stepped over and picked up the plate, giving her son's friend a warm smile.

"Don't worry about it dear, I've packed some sandwiches for later; make sure you take plenty for yourself," she told her. "Can you do me a favour Hermione? Make sure Harry and Ron are awake. Merlin knows Ron will have fallen back to sleep after I called them," she asked.

Hermione gave a nod and stood from the table. Before she could leave the kitchen Mrs Weasley said, "Make sure to tell Ron that his breakfast is ready. That usually rouses him from his pit."

Hermione laughed and made her way through the lounge. As she made her way upstairs and along the corridor to her friend's room, she heard quiet groaning. She frowned and tapped on the door lightly before opening it and peering through the gap. Her eyes widened as she found Harry tossing in the small cot, his blankets woven around his legs. The groaning was coming from him as he whipped his face backwards and forwards.

"No….no…."NO!" He shouted. Hermione stepped into the room and grabbed his arms, shaking his awake.

"Harry!" she called. His green eyes snapped open and started at her in fear. He then blinked and shook his head, bringing his hand up; not to rub his eyes but to scratch at his scar. "Are you all right?" she asked.

Harry nodded and sat up in the cot, placing some distance between them.

"Yes….I'm fine," he mumbled. He looked around the room, "What time is it?" he asked.

"It's 5am. Mrs Weasley asked me to wake the two of you up," she explained as she stepped across the small room to Ron's bed. She also shook him awake. Ron cut off mid snore as he opened his eyes blearily. As he noticed his female friend his eyes widened and he scrambled to pull his covers up to cover his chest.

"Bloody hell Hermione! Ever heard of knocking!" he exclaimed. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Like that would have woken you! It's time to get up," she said. Ron groaned and sunk further into his bed, pulling his covers over his head.

"S'too early!" he complained, "Five more minutes," he mumbled. Hermione tutted and snatched the covers from him. Ron squeaked and slid from the bed to hide on the other side.

"Hermione!" he exclaimed. Harry laughed at his friend's expense. Hermione ignored Ron's mortification and made her way to the door.

"Your Mum says breakfast is ready!" she told them, closing the door behind her.

An hour later, Hermione followed behind the family of red heads as Mr Weasley led them through Ottery St Catchpole and towards a steep hill, lined with forest. The fresh morning air woke her from her sleepy state and the scent of the wood reminded her of summers spent with her muggle family on various camping trips. The boys, for the most part, remained in their sleepy states and chose not to talk too much. Their quiet morning sleepiness reminded her of the first time she had encountered her brother in the morning.

She'd risen early and was enjoying a quiet, companionable breakfast with her Father; when her brother stepped through the door. She had looked up to greet him but stalled when she was met with his appearance.

"Draco?" she'd asked. She eyed her brother as he sat gracelessly at the dining table, covering a yawn with one hand as he mussed his blonde hair with the other. Hermione shared a look with her Father who gave her a smirk in return.

"Tired Son?" he asked quietly. Draco nodded, crossed his arms on the table and propped his head upon them, "Late night?" Lucius asked further. Draco released a heavy sigh before nodding against his arms.

"Aurora and I were discussing the 4th year curriculum well into the morning," he mumbled. Lucius looked to his daughter for an explanation. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"We _were_ discussing the curriculum, but I'm sure I remember returning to my room at around eleven pm," she stated. Draco lifted his head and scowled at her, she ignored him, "So I don't know what _you_ were doing till the early hours of this morning, but it certainly wasn't discussing the curriculum with me," she finished.

She looked over to her Father, who was in the process of covering the look of pride and fondness, and raised a brow. Lucius cleared his throat and nudged his son at the shoulder.

"You should know better than to stay up so late Draco," he admonished him gently. Draco rolled his eyes and rested his head back down. Hermione bit her lip to hide a grin and returned her gaze to her breakfast.

"I'm sure all boys Draco's age are the same Father. I know I tell Harry and Ron all the time about how much of a mess they look in the morning because they haven't had enough sleep. In fact, with your hair mussed like that Draco, you strike a blonder resemblance to Harry!" she exclaimed.

With that, Draco suddenly sat straight in his chair and his hands flew to his hair, ensuring to pat down all the wispy and surprisingly wavy sections of hair. He glared at her, "I don't appreciate being compared to Sir Potter, thank you very much!" he snapped.

Hermione simply grinned and patted his shoulder.

"I never noticed how wavy your hair is Draco. I understand now why you constantly wear it slicked back,"

Hermione smiled to herself as the memory ran through her mind. It made her magic ache for her twin. The several times that she stayed with her biological family only strengthened the bond between brother and sister.

When she'd written to Sirius about how her magic had started to react around the Malfoys, he was sure to explain to her the magical meaning of bonds. He explained that there were several types of magical bonds; bonds which meant everlasting love, bonds that drew soul mates together and bonds that strengthened a relationship between a set of twins. He'd said that, although they were not brought up together, the couple of years that they had created a strong link for the bond; now any time together would simply build upon that link.

Her Mother had been an excellent fountain of knowledge when she asked about how her magic reacted when she was around her family.

"Without sounding like every other pureblood, the Malfoy magic is very pure. It has nothing to do with blood darling, but with the strength of the individual's 'Family' magic. You were born from this magic, and for the first years of your life you were surrounded by it. This is why your magic reacts so strongly when you are around us; it is reacting to our magic," her mother explained gently, bushing a finger down her face lovingly. Hermione smiled when her magic tingle through her veins at the touch.

So she soon understood her need to be around her family, and the ache she also felt when she was not with them.

"There is it! UP there!" Mr Weasley called, pulling her suddenly from her silent thoughts. She rushed to keep up with Ginny who began to jog to catch up to her Father. It was at that point that she noticed two other people had joined their group.

As she came to Ginny's side she gave her arm a shame to catch her attention. She nodded to the younger blonde haired man.

"Who is that? He looks really familiar," she whispered. Ginny nodded.

"That's Cedric Diggory. He's in Hufflepuff. He's the one who beat Harry to the snitch last year when Harry became unconscious," she explained quietly.

Hermione nodded in understanding and followed the group as they surrounded what looked like an old boot.

"Right everyone, place a hand on the portkey and we'll be off momentarily," Mr Weasley said, keeping beside the boot. Hermione and Harry, who had never travelled by portkey in the last, shared a look of unease before placing their hands on the boot.

Suddenly, Hermione felt a lurch at her navel; as though an invisible force had placed a look around her waist and tugged extremely hard. She felt her knees leave the ground and her legs flapped in an attempt to steady herself.

"Don't let go!" she heard Mr Weasley's voice around the rush of wind through her ears. As soon as they'd left she felt the ground thud beneath her body as she gasped for air.

As she sat up, she quickly took into account that the adults and Cedric were watching them as they scrambled back to their feet. She smiled gratefully at the older boy as he first helped her up from the ground, and then offered a hand to Harry.

"It's nice to see you again Harry," he said politely, "I'm sorry about what happened again last year," he told him. Harry shook his head to dismiss his apology, but before he could speak the other blonde haired man beside Cedric patted a proud hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Shouldn't be apologising for beating the Boy Who Lived Cedric! You earned that win fair and square! One seeker fell from his broom, and the other managed to stay on!" he exclaimed. Hermione frowned at his arrogance; Ron quickly stepped in to defend his best friend.

"It wasn't really fair though. Harry was knocked unconscious because of the Dementors! He didn't fall of his broom!" he said. Mr Diggory seemed to ignore the red head and gave Harry a winning smile.

"You agree, don't you Harry?" he asked. Cedric gave Harry an apologetic look over his Father's shoulder. Before Harry could respond Ron interrupted a second time.

"Harr's the Youngest Seeker in a Century! He doesn't just 'fall off his broom'!" he exclaimed incredulously, his ears turning a dark shade of red. Harry quickly chose that moment to step in to stop his friend from putting his foot in it.

"It doesn't matter Ron. Gryffindor still won the Quidditch Cup," he said quietly. Mr Weasley quickly pulled Ron to his side and gave Cedric and his Father a quick, apologetic smile.

"Our pitch is this way Amos. I'm sure we'll see you at some point during the match," he nodded farewell as his gestured for his family and their friends to make their way away from the Portkey point.

Ron stepped back into line with his friends and grumbled, "Fancy him thinking Harry just _fell off his broom_! I can't believe it!" he exclaimed. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"He's just proud that Cedric won something Ron, as I'm sure your parents would be," she told him. Ron scoffed.

"Well yeah; but they wouldn't put someone else down for losing," he muttered. Harry and Hermione shared a look behind his back as they entered rows upon rows of muggle looking tents.

Hermione's eyes quickly took in the various tents that covered the vast campsite. It reminded her of the muggle campsites that she was taken to with her parents as a child. The only difference was the magnitude of different tents, compared to muggle tents. Some tents were three floors high, and she swore she saw a tent that had a full front garden attached, complete with birdbath, sundial and fountain. She stifled a laugh as she watched different witches and wizards attempt to subtly preform magic between them.

As the group moved down the campsite towards their spot they waved at various Hogwarts students.

"All right guys!" Seamus Finnegan called as they passed. Harry and Ron stopped briefly to talk to him; Hermione attempted to follow but she was pulled to one side by the younger Weasley. She gave Ginny a questioning glance; the younger girl's cheeks flushed red.

"Dean Thomas is with him," she whispered, eyeing the muggleborn student in question as he offered her a smile. Hermione watched curiously as Ginny gave a small smile before averting her gaze.

"It's just Dean, Ginny. You've seen him in the common room lots of times," she told her. Ginny cleared her throat.

"He asked me out at the end of last term," she whispered. Hermione's brow rose and she grinned.

"Ginny that's great! He's only a year older than you! You should go for it," she told her. Ginny sighed and continued to walk behind her Father; Hermione followed.

"I would; he's nice enough…but I was hoping that Harry would finally notice me," she whispered. They both looked over their shoulders at the black haired bespectacled boy who was boyishly laughing with the other boys. Hermione smiled warmly at her best friend's happiness before she turned back to the younger girl.

"You can't wait for Harry forever Ginny. If it's meant to be it'll happen but until then you deserve the right to find happiness with whoever you want," she explained, "Harry suffers with the same thing most boys his age suffer with: blindness," she said. Ginny laughed and nodded her head.

"I'll see how it goes, Neville is quite sweet as well," she said. Hermione nodded.

"Neville will make someone very happy one day," she added. She turned to her best friends and shook her head. Boys.

"Harry! Ron! Come on!" she shouted. Both turned in her direction and nodded, waved a quick goodbye to the boys before turning and jogging to catch up.

"Ah…Here we are, look, this is us!" Mr Weasley exclaimed, setting his backpack down on an empty stretch of grass. Beside the backpack was a short post with a sign that read _'WEEZLY'._ "Couldn't have picked a better spot really, the field is on the other side of this wood," he gestured to the thick wood beside them. He rubbed his hands together and knelt at the backpack, "no magic allowed, strictly speaking, not when we're on muggle land. We'll have to put this tent up by hand, it shouldn't be too difficult….Muggles do it all the time after all!" he exclaimed. He scratched at his head as he observed the multitude of poles and pegs, "say Harry, where do you suppose these go?"

Hermione stifled another laugh as she watched Harry give a wide eyed look to the poles. She imagined that Harry had never been camping in his entire life. He gave her a pleading look and she stepped forward to offer her assistance.

Once the tent had been erected, Mr Weasley had sent Harry, Ron and Hermione off to find water. As they walked through the campsite Hermione idly kept her eyes open for her family. Draco had been rather excited before she left, as their Father had gotten them tickets to watch the Quidditch World Cup.

"I'm not sure where we'll be sitting," he'd said, sounding like a child at Christmas, "but I know they'll be good seats."

Hermione had grinned and patted him on the head.

"Only the best for his ' _Little Dragon'_ , eh Draco?" she'd said, using the nickname their parent's had given him as a child. His cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

"I hate that they told you that," he murmured, Hermione laughed in response.

She hadn't asked her father if they were camping, after all the Malfoys always came across as muggle haters, why would they even attempt to blend in.

She hadn't seen her family since before she had arrived at the Weasley's three days before, and she had to admit, she wasn't sure how she or her magic would react once she saw them again. She sighed and shook her head to herself, resigning herself to trying to keep any reactions as discreet as possible.

Later that evening, the family of red heads and Harry and Hermione excitedly made their way through the woods towards the stadium.

"Ludo's gotten us tickets in the Top Box. Best seats in the house!" Mr Weasley exclaimed. Harry and Ron shared a look of excited delight; Hermione worried her bottom lip between her teeth. The best seats at any event were usually reserved for high ranking officials and those with plenty of money.

She followed the group up the long staircase of the stadium, marvelling wide eyes at the vast space that was available. She turned to ask the older Weasley who gave an approving nod at the layout.

"How do they hide this from the muggles?" Harry asked before her.

"How is Hogwarts hidden Harry? Many different concealment spells have been placed within and around the perimeter of the Stadium. Should a muggle approach the perimeter they will suddenly remember that they have other things to attend to and walk back in the opposite direction," Mr Weasley explained.

As they took their seats in the top box, Ron moved to the edge of the box to look down at the grounds.

"Blimey Dad!" he exclaimed, "how far up are we?" he asked.

"Put it this way," said a voice which made Hermione's magic tingle with happiness and longing, "If it rains, you'll be the first to know."

She turned swiftly, and met the sharp grey eyes of her Father. She gripped the velvet cushion of her seat in order to stop herself from running towards him. Behind him stood her Mother, whose gaze was fixed firmly on her and her Brother; who unfortunately had his trademark sneer in place.

' _I miss you'_ she thought as she watched her friends bristle at their appearance, ' _I wish I could be with you.'_

"We've been invited to sit in the Top Box, by Cornelius Fudge himself!" her brother said in a bragging tone. Her nose scrunched at the reminder of how her brother could be. At her change of expression, Lucius immediately turned and tapped Draco sharply with his cane.

"Don't boast Draco," he ordered with a pointed gaze, "There's no need to with _these_ people." He met his daughter's gaze, his eyes asking for her forgiveness. She offered a small smile as she turned away and took her seat, choosing to ignore them as they took their seats directly behind them.

Silently and as discreetly as possible, she felt her Father's warm hand touch her shoulder for just a moment; her body shivered as her magic rejoiced.

Harry looked over to his friend and the hand was quickly removed.

"Are you ok Hermione?" he asked, sending a look of warning to the younger Malfoy. Hermione shook her head.

"I'm fine Harry, honestly," she smiled at him as he gave her a look of concern before turning to watch as Ludo Bagman began his introduction to the match.

After the match was won by Ireland Hermione, Harry and the Weasley's celebrated back in their tent.

"There's no one like Krum!" Ron exclaimed. Ginny laughed.

"Are you in love Ron?" she asked. Fred and George mocked him.

"Viktor I love you,"

"Viktor I do!" Harry laughed and joined in with them.

"When we're apart my heart beats only for you!"

Hermione and Ginny laughed as the boys picked up pillows and began beating each other with them. They heard explosions and screams from outside, catching their attention.

"Sounds like the Irish have got their pride on!" Fred exclaimed. Mr Weasley suddenly stormed back into the tent.

"Stop it! It's not the Irish," he said, drawing his wand. The laughter on their faces suddenly dropped as they took in his serious expression, "you all need to leave for safety whilst we sort this out. Go into the woods. Fred, George; Ginny is your responsibility. Stick together and find the portkey!" he exclaimed.

Hermione's stomach dropped as she made her way from the tent with the others and she viewed the carnage of the campsite. Gone were the happy and complacent faces of witches and wizards, excited for the match. Now they ran in different directions, screaming as men in hooded cloaks marched through to campsite, casting exploding spells at random tents.

She tightly grabbed Harry's arm as they ran, ducking random spells. She turned and suddenly found herself alone, her eyes quickly flicking over the terrified witches and wizards as she tried to find her friends. The air quickly became thick with smoke as tents were set on fire. She coughed and covered a hand over her eyes as she tried to make her way back towards the woods.

"Aurora!" she heard a voice shout. She turned to locate the voice and was met with the terrified grey eyes of her brother.

"What are you doing here?" she asked loudly, coughing when the smoke got to her lungs. Draco took her hand and pulled her sharply in the direction of the woods.

"Never mind that; why were you just standing there! Don't you know who they are?" he asked as they navigated around the other panicked witches and wizards. Hermione stumbled but was caught by her brother. She looked over her shoulders at the group of hooded wizards. Among the chaos, one thing was quite clear to her.

"Father is with them…isn't he?" she asked. Draco met her gaze for a moment, before gritting his teeth and pulling her back towards the edge of the wood. She growled at his silence and pulled her arm away, forcing them to stop, "Answer me Draco! Father is with them, isn't he? That's why you came to find me straight away. You knew it was going to happen!" she exclaimed. Draco shook his head.

"I didn't know it was going to happen until it was too late. Mother told me under no circumstances was I to leave without making sure you were out of the way. I tried to find you in the woods, but I bumped into Potter and Weasley. When you weren't with them…I assumed you'd be somewhere on the campsite," he explained with a sad expression. Hermione groaned and cover her face with her hands, "Aurora-" he started, putting a hand on her shoulder. Hermione wrenched herself away in anger.

"How does he expect me to tell my friends the truth when he's making stupid decisions like this? They're Death Eaters, aren't they?" she asked. Draco sighed and nodded.

"I don't think Father will have done that willingly," he said gently. Hermione felt her eyes tear up.

"Does that even matter? The fact that he was there is bad enough," she said. "If he's going to be making these kinds of decisions how am I supposed to come out as his daughter?" she asked. Draco gave her a pained expression.

Before he could answer, a shot of green filled the night sky. They turned and Draco gasped at what he saw. Hermione frowned.

"What is that?" she asked. She turned to her brother who was staring at the green image with a fearful expression.

"It's called the Dark Mark," he whispered, "You-Know-Who's followers used to cast it into the sky following every attack," he explained. Hermione gasped and sent her gaze upwards. The mark was a crude vision of a skull, with a long snake slithering from its gaping mouth.

"It's disgusting," she whispered. Her eyes widened as she looked back to her brother, "You don't think Father…?" she left the question open, worrying her bottom lip. Draco shook his head.

"It's You-Know-Who's mark. The last thing Father wants is to bring him back, he wouldn't cast it," he said resolutely. Hermione sighed and gave one last glance at the mark.

"I need to find the boys. They ran off and I need to make sure they're ok," she said. Draco pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her smaller body. Hermione's magic fluttered contently as she was held by her twin; her arms came up his back and held him tightly.

"Please stay in the woods Aurora. You still look like Hermione Granger; they wouldn't hesitate to attack you if they saw you. If something happened to you…" his voice choked with emotion. Hermione tightened her grip, comforting him.

"I'll be fine; I'll stay in the woods. I promise. Go and find Mother and get yourselves home," she whispered to him. He nodded and stepped away, rubbing a hand over his face. Hermione smiled and reached onto her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek, "make sure you look after yourself as well, baby brother," she said with a smirk. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Only by ten minutes 'Rora," he commented. They then both sprint into different directions.

"Harry!" she shouted into the woods, casting her gaze left and right to spot her friend. She ran in the direction of the Marl, using its green light to find her way through the wood.

Finally, she came across her friend and bowled into him, followed quickly by Ron. She ran her hands up his arms, looking over his body for any signs of injury. She looked up and found that they were stood directly under the mark.

"Are you ok?" she asked hurriedly. Harry nodded and turned sharply to look at a gap between two trees, "What is it?" she asked. Harry shook his head.

"I think I saw someone. Someone who cast that spell into the sky," he said. Hermione was about to ask more when the trio heard the loud approach of several wizards. Hermione wrapped her arms around both boys' shoulders and pulled them down into a crouching position.

"Get down!" she screamed.

"STUPEFY!" several voices called, followed quickly by bolts of red lights crashing above their heads. Hermione screamed again and lowered her head to avoid being hit.

"STOP! Everyone stop! That's my son!" they looked up at the sound of Mr Weasley's voice, "Ron, Harry, Hermione are you all ok?" he asked, pulling them up and checking each one of them over.

"We're fine Dad-" Ron began to explain before he was interrupted by a shaking wand in their faces.

"Which one of you conjured it?" a wide eyed and angry Mr Crouch asked them. Hermione quickly shook her head. Mr Weasley gaped at his colleague.

"Barty, they're just kids!" he exclaimed.

"What is it?" Harry asked. Hermione drew her lips into a thin line.

"It's the Dark Mark Harry…It's _His_ mark," she told him. Harry gaped at her for a second before looking back up to the Mark.

"Harry said he heard someone who might have cast it," Ron told the adults.

"Where Harry?" Mr Weasley asked. Harry turned and pointed to the gap between the bushes.

"There was a man's voice over there."

Several Aurors stepped past them, followed quickly by Barty Crouch. Mr Weasley pressed a reassuring hand to Harry's shoulder as they watched them search. Amos Diggory also stepped into the bushes, pushing them to the side with his wand.

"Looks like we've found something!" he shouted, reaching down and picking up a small body, "it's a House Elf!" he said, stepping back into the clearing and dropping the body at their feet.

"I saw that elf in the Top Box earlier on," Harry commented. Mr Diggory nodded with a suspicious look and waved his wand over the unconscious elf.

"Enervate," he said. The small elf opened her big eyes blinkingly and looked around her surroundings. When she spotted Barty she burst into tears.

"Master Barty, Master Barty…" she sobbed. Mr Diggory frowned and pointed his wand at the elf. Before he could say anything an Auror stepped back into the clearing, he was holding a wand.

"We found this at the location where her body was found," he said gruffly. Harry frowned.

"That's my wand!" he exclaimed, all eyes turned to him.

"A little convenient that your wand was found at the scene of the crime Mr Potter," Mr Diggory said accusingly. Ludo Bagman shook his head.

"Amos, come on now. He's just a boy…not to mention the Boy Who Lived," he said in Harry's defence, "think of who you're accusing."

Mr Diggory sniffed and pointed his wand ad Harry's wand, "We'll soon know if this was the wand that cast the spell. _Prior Incantato_!" he roared.

Hermione gasped, horrified, as a gigantic serpent-tongued skull erupted from the point where the two wands met, but it was a mere shadow of the green skull high above them; it looked as though it were made of thick grey smoke: the ghost of a spell.

"Deletrius!" Mr Diggory shouted, and the smoky skull vanished in a wisp of smoke.

"When did you have your wand last Harry?" Mr Weasley asked him. Harry thought for a moment before shaking his head.

"I remember having it during the Match…it was in my back pocket," he said. All eyes turned to the elf, who was sobbing into her Master's robes. Mr Diggory cleared his throat.

"Did you steal this wizard's wand elf?" he asked sharply. Hermione frowned at his rude tone, feeling sorry for the small elf.

"No Mister, Winky knows not to touch Wizard's wand," she sobbed.

"Was there anyone else sat with you? Anyone who could have taken it?" he asked in the same harsh tone. Winky sobbed harder and pulled at her ears.

"Winky was saving seat for Master," she explained.

"Then only you could have taken the wand," he snapped at her, "you've been caught red handed elf!" he roared. "Caught with the guilty wand in your hand!"

Winky sobbed harder and cupped her small hands over her face, "I is not doing it!" she squealed in terror, "I is not, I is not, I is not knowing how! I is a good elf, I isn't using wand, I isn't knowing how!"

"Perhaps Amos is suggesting," said Mr Crouch, coldly staring at the other man, "that it is a common practise of mine to tech my servants to conjure the Dark Mark?" he asked.

There was an uncomfortable silence as both men started at one another. Mr Diggory looked horrified, "Mr Crouch….I would never suggest such a thing!"

"You have now come very close to accusing the two people within this group who are _least_ likely to conjure that Mark!" Mr Crouch barked, pointing to the accursed mark, "Harry Potter – and myself! You do know who this boy is, don't you Amos?"

"Of course I do! Everyone knows," Mr Diggory muttered with a discomforted face.

"And I trust you remember the many lengths I went to, over a long career, in ensuring those who practised the Dark Arts were put away for a very _very_ long time?" Mr Crouch shouted, his eyes bulging.

"Barty, I – I would never suggest that you had anything to do with it" Mr Diggory muttered again, rubbing a hand over his reddening face.

"If you accuse my elf, you may as well accuse me Diggory!" shouted Mr Crouch, "where else would she have learned to conjure it?" he asked.

"She might have picked it up from anywhere-"

"Precisely Amos," said Mr Weasley, "She could have picked it up from anywhere…Winky?" he spoke to the sobbing elf with a kind, fathering tone. Winky peaked through her fingers, her shoulders still trembling. "Where exactly did you find Harry's wand?"

Winky lowered her hand and began twisting her ear tightly within her fist.

"I – I is finding it…finding it there, sir…" she whispered, "In the trees, sir…" Mr Weasley gave a nod.

"There, you see Amos?" he said, "Whoever conjured the mark disapparated right after they'd done it, leaving Harry's wand behind. Winky has had the misfortune of coming across it moments later and picked it up"

"But then, she'd have been only feet away from the real culprit!" Mr Diggory exclaimed with renewed determination. "Elf, did you see anyone?" he asked.

Winky began to tremble worse than ever. Her giant eyes flickered from Mr Diggory, to Ludo Bagman and onto Mr Crouch. She then gulped and said, "I is seeing no one, sir…Winky saw no one," she answered.

"Amos," said Mr Crouch, "I am fully aware that, in the ordinary course of events, you would want to take Winky in for questioning. On this occasion, however, allow me to deal with her."

Hermione almost laughed at the look on Mr Diggory's face. It was clear that he didn't think much of this suggestion at all, but daren't go against Mr Crouch; as he was a much more important member of the Ministry.

"You may rest assured that she will be punished," Mr Crouch added coldly.

"M-m-master…" Winky stammered, "M-m-master, p-p-please…"

Hermione's heart burst in sorrow for the small elf as she begged at her Master's feet for mercy. She had heard, of course, of how House elves could be treated. She was fortunate enough to see how happy Tinker was when serving her family. Had she not, she felt tha she would have had a lot to say about the enslavement of the poor creatures. As she looked upon Mr Crouch, his face was sharpened, each line upon it more deeply etched. There was no pity in his gaze.

"Winky has behaved tonight in a manner that is do not believe is acceptable. I told her to remain in the tent, I told her to remain there whilst I went to sort out the trouble. And I find that she has disobeyed me. This means _clothes_." He said slowly. If possible, Winky's eyes widened further.

"No!" she shrieked, "No, master! Not Clothes! Please, not clothes!"

Hermione felt pity to see the way Winky clutched as her tea towel as she sobbed over Mr Crouch's feet. She frowned angrily and glared at Mr Crouch.

"But she was frightened!" she burst out, "you can't blame her for wanting to get out of their way!"

Mr Crouch removed himself from the elf's hands, as though she was something filthy and rotten that was contaminating his shoes.

"I have no use for a house-elf who disobeys me," he said coldly. Hermione opened her mouth to retort but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

"I think I'll take my lot back to the tent, perhaps leave for home tonight. Amos, that wand's told us all it can – if Harry could have it back, please?" Mr Weasley said. Mr Diggory handed Harry his wand back and Harry pocketed it.

"Come on you three," Mr Weasley said quietly. Hermione couldn't force herself to move, her eyes remained on the sobbing elf. She so desperately wanted to pick the elf up and take her away from her Master, he who had no compassion for the creature and only saw her as a slave; a piece of property that he could cast away when he no longer had need of her. "Hermione!" Mr Weasley said, more urgently. Hermione sighed and turned, following Harry and Ron out of the clearing and off through the trees.

"What's going to happen to Winky?" she asked quietly, the moment they left the clearing. Mr Weasley sighed.

"I don't know," he answered. Hermione felt anger rise in her.

"The way they were treating her!" she said furiously, "And Mr Diggory, calling her 'elf' all the time! They were treating her as though she wasn't human!" she exclaimed. Ron gave a shrug.

"Well…she's not human," he told her. Hermione shot him a dark look.

"That's beside the point Ron, she still has feeling for Merlin's sake," she spat. Mr Weasley patted her on the shoulder.

"As much as I admire your compassion, Hermione, now really isn't the time to discuss house-elf rights. We need to find the others, pack up and then get home.

"Dad, why was everyone so up in arms when they saw that Skull thing? It wasn't hurting anyone," Ron asked. Mr Weasley offered him a grim look; Hermione sighed and shook her head.

"I told you before, It's You-Know-Who's mark," she told him. Ron frowned.

"How do you know so much about it?" he asked. Hermione's stomach sank as she thought of an excuse.

"I've read about it of course, there's a chapter about it in 'The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts'," she said quickly. Ron stared at her for a moment before nodding in acceptance. Hermione released a brief sigh of relief.

"I don't get it," Ron said, frowning, "I mean…it's still only a shape in the sky…"

"Ron, You-Know-Who and his followers sent the Dark Mark into the air whenever they attacked, whenever they killed," Mr Weasley explained, "the terror it caused…it's hard to explain, you're too young to understand. Imagine coming home and finding the Dark Mark hovering over our house, and knowing what you're going to find inside…"Mr Weasley trailed off with a shudder, "It was everyone's worst fear."

There was silence for a moment as they walked through the trees. Soon, they arrived back at the tent and were reunited with Fred, George, Ginny, Percy, Charlie and Bill. The older three Weasley boys were discussing the mark; Harry, Ron and Hermione stepped closer to listen.

"Well, it didn't help us tonight. It scared the Death Eaters away the moment they saw it. They all disapparated before we even got near enough to unmask any of them. Luckily, we caught the muggles before they hit the ground, poor buggers. They're having their memories modified right now," he explained. Harry frowned.

"Death Eaters?" he asked, "what are Death Eaters?"

"It's what You-Know-Who's supporters called themselves," Bill explained, "I think we saw what's left of them tonight, the ones who managed to keep themselves out of Azkaban, anyway," he said bitterly. Mr Weasley gave him a disapproving look.

"We can't prove it was them Bill," he said, he then released a heavy sigh, "though it probably was," he added hopelessly.

"Yeah, I bet it was!" Ron said suddenly, "Dad, Harry and I bumped into Draco Malfoy in the woods, and he as good as told us his dad was one of those nutters in the masks. He kept asking after Hermione, saying that they'd be after the – Muggleborns," he changed the slur last minute with a cautious glance as his friend, "we all know the Malfoys were right in with You-Know- Who!" he exclaimed.

Hermione felt sick to her stomach. She dropped her gaze, unable to meet eyes with her friends. She almost felt ashamed, because she knew that Ron was right. Her Father was one of the 'nutters in a mask'. She needed to see her Father and demand an explanation.

"Why run when they saw the Dark Mark then? If they are supporters of Voldemort's-" the Weasley's flinched and Harry cringed, "sorry, of You-Know-Who they'd have been pleased to see it, wouldn't they?" he asked.

"Think about it Harry," Bill said, "If they really were Death Eaters back in the day, they will have used every excuse and loophole to stay out of Azkaban when You-Know-Who lost power. I bet they'd be even more frightened than the rest of us to see him come back. They committed the worst of treason, the denied that they'd ever been involved with him, and went back to their daily lives…I don't reckon he'd be pleased with them, do you?" Harry shook his head, and Hermione crossed her arms over her chest, flooded with pain of her Father's mistakes.

"It'll be all right Hermione," Mr Weasley said, noticing her fallen gaze, he then turned to his family "we'll leave it a few hours and then head back home. Once your mother hears about this she'll be worried sick. We'll get an early portkey out of here."

Hours later, when they arrived back at the Burrow, Hermione pulled Mr Weasley aside once she had been thoroughly hugged and checked over by the Weasley matriarch.

"Mr Weasley," she said, "My Parents get a copy of the Daily Prophet every morning. I'd hate for them to see the headlines and not know that I was safe. Do you think Mrs Weasley would mind terribly if I went back home for a few more days and met everyone at Kings Cross?" she asked him. Mr Weasley gave her a sad smile and nodded.

"Of course not Hermione. You go and collect your things and I'll explain everything to Molly. I'll then apparate you home," he told her. Hermione smiled gratefully and ran upstairs to pack her trunk.

When she and Mr Weasley arrived half an hour later, on the front porch of her muggle home, she waited until she'd waved him off and he'd disapparated before pulling out a necklace that had been given to her by her magical parents.

"Ironic that I have to use this now," she whispered to herself, closing her eyes as she whispered the triggered password, " _Princess_."

She felt the hook behind her navel once more as she was portkeyed from her muggle house and into her bedroom of the Malfoys. Of course, she'd told a small white lie to her friend's Father. Anne and John Granger didn't receive the Daily Prophet, in fact Hermione had insisted that they remain ignorant of the Wizarding World; they were quite content hearing the stories that Hermione had to tell them when she returned from school.

She dropped her trunk and slipped the necklace back beneath her shirt; before making her way out of the room.

"Aurora?" she heard her mother shout from down the hall. Her blonde head popped out of a door and gaped at her for a moment, "Oh my darling, thank Merlin you are safe!" Narcissa exclaimed as she swooped down the hall to gather her eldest into her arms.

Hermione smiled and allowed her Mother to comfort her. She suddenly felt the fear, the anger and the sorrow that she had kept hidden the night before, break free from her barriers and she cried into her Mother's chest.

"It's all right my Darling, let it out," Narcissa whispered comfortingly into her ear as she stroked fingers through her hair and down her back. Hermione screamed and hugged her mother tightly, in that moment she sought the comfort and the shelter from the woman who gave birth to her.

"I was terrified, Mummy," she cried. Narcissa felt her eyes water at her daughter's distress and she patted her back soothingly.

"I know dear, I know. I only wish that I could have been there for you," she whispered.

"Mother?" she heard Draco's voice ask from behind her, "Aurora," he said. Narcissa released her daughter as she quickly turned and launched herself into her brother's arms. Narcissa and Draco shared a look as Narcissa quietly made her way back into the main room at the bottom of the hall.

"You're not allowed to leave me ever again," Hermione whimpered, "I was so terrified Dray."

Draco half smiled at the nickname and rested his twin on his twin's head.

"I'll try my best 'Rora," he said, Hermine shook her head but remained silent as her cries soon slowed. Draco sighed, "father is in bed, I think he sustained some injuries," he told her. Hermione felt her anger spike again as she thought about her father. It was the first time, since knowing that he was her father, that she felt anger towards him.

"Is that the room at the end of the hall?" she asked, looking over his shoulder. Draco pulled away and looked to the end of the hallway, nodding his head. He looked back to her.

"Do you want to see him?" he asked cautiously. Hermione sighed.

"Does he want to see me?" she asked, "I'm angry with him Draco."

Draco sighed, "Give him a chance to explain himself Aurora. He wouldn't have joined them lightly."

Hermione allowed her brother to lead them to their parent's bedroom. It was the first time Hermione had ever stepped into her Parent's bedroom, and she was sad this is was because she was angry at her father. She gave herself little time to take in the blue and cream interior of the room before she spotted her father lain comfortably on the king size bed, with her Mother sat beside him. Both looked at her as she entered.

"Aurora," he father whispered. Hermione frowned and met her father's grey gaze. She was astounded by the difference she felt from earlier the day before when she first met his gaze at the match. Then, she had wanted to throw herself at him and never let him go; now, all she felt was anger and confusion.

"Why Father?" she asked quietly. Lucius sighed and patted the covers beside him. Narcissa gave her a small smile.

"Please come and sit with us Aurora; allow your Father to explain his actions," she said with a pleading tone.

Hermione moved slowly to the opposite side of the bed and sat gingerly on the edge, facing her Father. Lucius inched his way up into a sitting position, brushing off his wife when she moved to help him.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked suddenly, her concern making itself known through her anger. Lucius gave her a small smile and a nod.

"I will be fine, love," he said. "You will have some questions for me. I am prepared to answer them," he told her. Hermione nodded.

"I just want to know why you were with them," she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. Draco stepped up behind her and rested a hand on her shoulder in support.

"I was threatened, love. Or, to be honest, your Mother and Brother was threatened," he explained. Hermione frowned.

"I don't understand…if that is so, then why didn't you go to the Aurors? Why not report it?" she asked. Narcissa smiled.

"It doesn't work like that darling," she said gently. "You know that your Father was arrested a long time ago for the suspicion of being a true Death Eater. Those who heard of his confession of being forced into the Dark Lord's ruling weren't happy that your Father almost openly defied him. He told them long ago that he lied to the Ministry, in order to keep us safe," she explained. Hermione groaned and covered her face.

"I don't understand why that sounds like a good idea! Why not just openly defy him? There are people who can protect us, all of us!" she exclaimed. Lucius frowned painfully.

"Like they protected you?" he asked sternly. Hermione felt her stomach drop guiltily. Narcissa frowned at her husband.

"Lucius!" she snapped, Lucius shook his head.

"I apologise Aurora, none of this was any fault of yours, but forgive me when I freely admit that I do not trust Albus Dumbledore. It was because of him that you were taken from us for thirteen years. When you were lost…I vowed not to make a decision like that again," he told her. Hermione sighed.

"But it keeps us from being together, can't you see that? I can't possibly come out to my friends and tell them that I am a Malfoy when you are still placing yourself on the wrong side," she explained. Draco frowned.

"But 'Rora-"

"No Draco. I understand that Father is only making these choices to keep us safe, but life will be so much more difficult trying to defend him when he appears as a Death Eater to my friends. I won't reveal my true identity until this is resolved," she said resolutely. Draco moved away angrily.

"So we're back to the beginning once more. I understand that you were scared Aurora, I really do, but Father doesn't deserve to be punished for it. Our _family_ don't deserve to be punished for it!" he snapped. Narcissa glared at her son.

"Draco! That is enough!" Hermione shook her head and stood to face her brother.

"Do you really think I'm doing this to _punish_ you? This isn't easy for me Draco, this is a sacrifice I am making until Father is sure of the side he is on," she explained passionately. "Mother and Father made a sacrifice thirteen years ago to keep me away from You-Know-Who, I am not going to let that go to waste by revealing myself when he appears to be on his side, because that will lead me straight to him."

"Well what about at school? Are you going to handle being called 'Granger' again? Because you didn't like it at the beginning of summer," Draco said. Hermione sighed.

"Would you really mean it this time? I know I wouldn't," she said quietly. Draco's anger faded.

"No," he sighed, "I couldn't mean it anymore," he whispered. "I hate this Aurora. I have you back and now it feels like you're going away again."

"It's never going to be like that Draco," she told him, taking his hand in hers. "It couldn't possibly go back to being that way."

She turned back to her Father who watched her sadly.

"Think of it as an incentive Daddy," she whispered, "You'll have more time to think about it and properly plan what you want to do. When you have decided then we can discuss the revealing of my identity. Will you do that for me?" she asked him. Lucius shared a look with his wife before giving his daughter a nod.

"For you, anything."

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 **So its being kept as a secret for now, I wonder how they get on back at Hogwarts. Thanks again for reading, much love to you all xoxox**


	9. When 4th Year Begins

**AN - Hi all, thank you so much for your patience and for your reviews. With work and everything else going on Uploading will be slow but I PROMISE that I am already started with chapter 10 and I am going to start trying to stick to an uploading schedule! Thanks and Love to all xoxo**

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 **Chapter 9 - When 4th Year Begins**

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Hermione stayed with her family for the last days of the summer holiday. She made sure to spend her time with her mother and father, and especially with her brother.

"We'll have to pretend like nothing has happened once we return to Hogwarts," Hermione had explained to her brother. Draco hadn't liked the idea.

"I don't want to be mean to you again Aurora. I couldn't handle hurting you again," he told her. Hermione smiled at him and pulled him into a hug.

"I'll know you won't mean it Draco. Just try and keep it to the minimum, ok? If we have to ignore each other, then that's what we'll need to do."

Draco accepted her theory with a thin line set on his lips. It warmed her heart to know that Draco didn't want to continue their animosity between each other. She was happy that within her short time with her Mother, Father and twin brother; their bond had grown and developed.

She had spoken with her Father about his position within the first war extensively the day before she and Draco were set to return to Hogwarts. He had asked to explain how his involvement in the first war affected their family.

"Did you join him willingly?" she'd asked him. Lucius nodded his head sadly.

"What you need to understand Darling, is that before you were born my Father had my life planned out. He went to school with the Dark Lord and had already promised his family's loyalty to him. He expected me to follow in his footsteps, and for my children to follow in mine," he explained. "When I married your Mother…well, she helped me to realise that my Father's word wasn't the only word I should follow. I suppose she helped me realise that I had my own mind and that I could make my own decision. "

Hermione sighed.

"I don't understand why he demanded that of you," she said sadly. Lucius smiled.

"I imagine my Father was given the same treatment by his Father. There are centuries of tradition that the Malfoy family have followed; what my Father expected me to follow," he told her. Hermione smiled.

"Like only having male children?" she asked, her smile twisting into a smirk her brother would be proud of. Lucius mimicked her expression and ran his fingers though her hair and down her face.

"You, my darling, were my first act of rebellion," he told her, "and look how much better you have made our lives."

Hermione laughed and allowed her father to draw her into his arms in a tight hug. She sobered when she thought about his current predicament.

"Father, if it was because of your father that you joined and remained loyal to You-Know-Who…why do you stay loyal now?" she asked. Lucius sighed.

"If I was to openly defect the Dark Lord…I couldn't begin to imagine what his free followers would do to you, your brother and your mother. I couldn't take that risk," he whispered. Hermione gave a small nod.

"I do understand," she said, "but no matter what happens, Harry is my best friend. I will always be a target in his enemies' eyes."

Lucius' expression became determined as he watched his daughter. He remained silent but Hermione could tell that he would do anything in his power to keep her safe.

They had left early for Kings Cross station the day after; they were one of the first families that arrived on platform 9 3/4s. Draco helped Hermione lift her trunk onto the train and into the usual compartment she and her friends frequented when sat on the Hogwarts Express.

"Great Merlin 'Rora," he whispered through gritted teeth, "what in the name of Salazar have you got in there?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and followed him back onto the platform, "Books Draco," she told him. "Mother also took me shopping this week so I have a few extra bits of clothing as well."

Lucius kept his eyes on the quiet platform as Narcissa first drew her son into her arms, followed by her newly found daughter. Hermione felt her eyes water in emotion as her magic fluttered at her Mother's touch.

"It doesn't even feel like you were lost to us. You have affirmed yourself into our family, as though you hadn't even left," she whispered, "I am going to miss you so much."

Hermione wrapped her arms around her mother's waist tightly and buried her face into her shoulder. Although she missed her muggle mother just as much, her magic only reacted around her biological family.

"I will miss you too Mother," she whispered, "I'll try and send Archimedes as often as possible," she told her. Narcissa nodded and pulled away, dabbing at her eyes. Draco rolled his eyes as he shook hands with his Father.

"Mother…" he complained, Narcissa frowned and gave her son a shove.

"Hush Draco Regulus," she said. Hermione grinned and turned to her Father, her heart clenching painfully as he gave her a gentle smile. He opened his arms and she bowled into them, squeezing him around the middle.

"I'll miss you Daddy," she whispered against his chest. She felt his chest rumble as he chuckled quietly and hugged her against him.

"I will miss you also," he whispered. Hermione pulled away with a smile.

"Perhaps I will be able to come and see you at Christmas?" she asked, "I'm sure my Parents won't mind."

Lucius and Narcissa shared a secret smile. Narcissa shook her head.

"I don't think you'll want to come home for Christmas this year," she told the twins. Hermione and Draco shared a look of suspicion.

"Why?" they asked at the same time, surprising each other. Narcissa and Lucius gave a short laugh at their expense.

"Sounds like your bond has moved to the next step," Narcissa said. Draco frowned at her change of subject.

"Mother…don't change the subject – why would we stay at Hogwarts this year? It'll be our first Christmas together as a family!" he exclaimed. He looked to his father, "Is this about what you and the Minister were discussing that time I went to work with you?" he asked. Lucius cleared his throat.

"I am sure you will find out once you are at school. I promise that you will have an exciting year this year." Hermione and Draco shared another look and shook their heads. Lucius checked his pocket watch and straightened his shoulders. "Other families will be arriving soon. If we are going to keep this a secret then we better leave," he said. "Draco, make sure you watch out for your sister. No matter how much you want to keep this a secret, her safety is paramount," he said pointedly.

Draco scoffed.

"With the amount of trouble she and those Gryffindor's get into, I can imagine that that's going to prove difficult," he said. Hermione gave him a shove.

"Keep talking ' _baby brother_ '. Who's going to look after you?" she asked, "what with all the snooping about you and your _Slytherins_ do?" she asked. Draco opened his mouth to argue when their father held out a hand to stop them.

"That is enough, the pair of you. Look out for one another if you must," he told them. Hermione gave him another quick hug and a kiss on the cheek before picking up Crookshank's basket and stepping onto the train, followed by her brother. He followed her to her compartment and the pair of them waved to their parents through the window before they apparated away from the platform.

Hermione sighed and rested her forehead against the glass, feeling the sorrow of their departure.

"How can I miss them already? I was away from my muggle parents for months at a time and hardly thought about them but when I am away from them I feel…empty," she said. Draco sighed and sat across from her.

"I got used to it after our first year. I was terribly home sick in those first months and I had to go to Severus' office most evenings to floo call them. Father got so aggravated with me," he said fondly with a smile. "I didn't feel it until you came back at the beginning of the summer. Once our bond began to grow and you went back to your muggle parents…I felt it again. Like a part of me was missing."

Hermione nodded.

"That's how I feel," she said quietly with a heavy sigh. "How am I going to cope this year?"

Draco leant forward and took her hand in his.

"I think we will need to make time to see one another. Time where we can be ourselves," he explained. Hermione nodded.

"Just promise that no matter what our friends say, and no matter what happens, when we are together nothing will change," she said, looking deep into his grey eyes. They warmed at her statement and he gave a strong nod.

"Of course 'Rora. I promise."

The twins had at least half an hour of time together before they noticed that the platform had started to become crowded with Hogwarts students and their families. When Hermione noticed the family of red heads she turned to her brother.

"I think it's time we separate. The Weasley's have arrived and I'm sure tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee are looking for you," she said. Draco threw her a look of exasperation.

"What happened to not insulting each other's friends?" he asked. Hermione gave him a look of mock shock.

"Crabbe and Goyle are you _friends_? Oh! I just assumed that they were your _slaves_!" she exclaimed. Draco rolled his eyes and swiftly made his way from her compartment as she laughed.

Moments later, the compartment door slid open and Hermione smiled at her best friends. She remained silent as they slid their trunks into the compartment and under the seats. Harry released a breath as he took the seat beside her.

"How were your parents?" he asked with a smile. "Where they worried?"

Hermione nodded. "They had just received the 'Daily Prophet' when I arrived. I explained that it was a random event though and they seemed to buy it," she lied easily. She did feel some guilt, after all she, Harry and Ron had been through a lot in the short time they had known each other. Ron sighed.

"Speaking of random events – Mum, Bill and Charlie know that something is happening this year at Hogwarts," Ron said with a frown. "Bagman wanted to tell us what's happening," he said grumpily, sitting across from Harry and Hermione. "At the World Cup, remember? But my own mother won't say. Wonder what-"

"Shh!" Hermione whispered suddenly, pressing a finger to her lips and pointing towards the compartment next to theirs. Hermione heart sank as Harry and Ron listened and they heard a familiar drawling voice drifting in through the open door.

"…Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts, you know. He knows the Headmaster rather well you see. And you know his opinion of Dumbledore – the man's such a muggleborn lover – and Durmstrang doesn't admit those type of _people_. Mother didn't like the idea of me going to school so far away. Father says that Durmstrang look more highly on the Dark Arts than what Hogwarts does, their students actually learn them, not just how to defend against them…"

Hermione frowned and got up, tiptoed to the compartment door and quietly slid it shut, blocking out her brother's voice. She closed her eyes at his familiar bragging tone, reminding herself that he had put it on as an act for his friends. As she sat down she caught Ron's sneer of distaste.

"So he thinks Durmstrang would have suited him better, does he?" he said angrily. "I wish he _had_ gone there, and then we wouldn't have to put up with his crap."

Hermione bristled but schooled her expression into one of boredom.

"I don't know why you let him bother you," she said calmly, drawing a book out of her pocket and opening to the first page, "the more you let it bother you, the more he will antagonise you."

"Durmstrang's another school?" Harry asked.

Hermione frowned and looked up from her book, scrunching her nose.

"Yes. It has a _horrible_ reputation. According to _An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe,_ it puts a lot of emphasis on the Dark Arts."

"I think I've heard of it," Ron said with a thoughtful expression. "Where is it? What country?"

Hermione shrugged. "Well that's the thing isn't it? Nobody knows, do they?"

Harry frowned. "Why's that?" he asked.

"There's traditionally a lot of rivalry between magical schools in Europe. Durmstrang and Beauxbatons like to hide their locations so nobody can steal their secrets," Hermione explained matter-of-factly.

"Come off it!" said Ron, laughing. "Durmstrang has got to be the same size of Hogwarts, how are you going to hide a whole castle?" he asked. Hermione stared at him for a moment in surprise before shaking her head.

"Hogwarts _is_ hidden," she said. "Everyone knows that…well, everyone who's read 'Hogwarts, A History'." She returned to her book.

Ron laughed again.

"Just you then," he said. "Ok then smarty pants, how is Hogwarts hidden?" he asked. Hermione gave an exasperated sigh and closed her book with a snap.

"It is bewitched," she explained. "If a muggle was to look upon It, all they would find is an old ruin with a sign saying ' _Danger. Do not enter. Unsafe'._ "

"So Durmstrang will look like an old ruin?" asked Ron. Hermione shrugged.

"It could….or, it could have muggle repelling charms on it like the stadium at the Quidditch World Cup did. And, to stop foreign wizards from finding it they'll have had to make it unplottable-"

"Come again?" Ron interrupted. Hermione scowled.

"Well, you if you can make a building invisible to muggles surely you can enchant the same building so it's impossible to locate on a map," she snapped. Harry and Ron shared a look.

"Err…If you say so," said Harry. Hermione sighed and returned to her book.

"It must be located someone in the far North, anyway," she said passingly. "Somewhere very cold, as they have fur capes as part of their uniforms."

Ron sat back in his seat.

"Ah, think of the possibilities," he said dreamily. "It would've been so easy to push Malfoy off a glacier and make it look like a complete accident…shame his Mother likes him…"

Hermione pursed her lips behind her book and bit the inside of her cheek to stop from defending her brother. She looked over the edge of her book when she heard Ron's owl, Pigwidgeon, fly quickly around his cage wittering loudly. Ron glared at the miniature owl and reached into his trunk, tugging out some maroon material and threw it over the cage. Hermione stared at the material and noticed the lace.

"What is that?" she asked. Ron's face flushed and he tucked the robes away as quickly as possible. Harry snorted in laughter.

"They're his dress robes," he explained in between a laugh. Ron scowled and crossed his arms.

"I didn't pick them, mum did," he grumbled, Hermione stifled a laugh and buried her face behind her book.

By Midday, the lunch trolley came rattling along the corridor, and Harry bought a large stack of Cauldron Cakes for them to share.

Several of their friends looked in on them as the afternoon passed, including Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas and Neville Longbottom. Seamus was still wearing his Ireland rosette that he'd bought from the Quidditch World Cup. Some of its magic seemed to have worn off; it still squeaked "Troy – Mullet – Moran!" but in a feeble and dying sort of way. After half an hour or so Hermine grew bored of all the quidditch talk and buried her head back into her book, The standard book of Spells: Grade 4.

"Gran didn't want to go" said Neville in a jealous tone, "she wouldn't buy tickets. It looked great though!" he exclaimed.

"It was!" Ron exclaimed. He quickly dug into his trunk and drew out the small Krum figurine he had purchased at the match. "Look at this Neville."

"Oh _wow_!" said Neville enviously, as Ron tipped the Krum figure into his hand.

"We saw him right up close as well," said on with an excited gleam. "We were in the Top Box-"

"Probably for the first and last time in your life, Weasley."

Hermione's stomach clenched as she hesitantly looked to the open door and found her brother and his friends stood there. She immediately looked at the familiar sneer/smirk on his face and couldn't help but close her eyes at how unfair life was for them. She opened her eyes and fixed him with an annoyed stare.

Draco was also flanked by his two thick set cronies, Crabbe and Goyle. She could see that they had at least grown a foot over summer.

"Don't remember inviting you into our compartment, Malfoy," Harry spat coolly. Hermione flinched slightly at her friend's tone and buried her face behind her book, intent on ignoring her brother as promised.

"Weasley…What is that?" her brother asked, pointing at Pigwidgeon's cage. A sleeve of Ron's dress robes was dangling from it, swaying with the motion of the train, the mouldy lace cuff very obvious.

Ron made to stuff the robes out of sight, but Draco was too quick for him; he seized the sleeve and pulled.

"Look at this!" he exclaimed with a laugh, holding up Ron's dress robes for Crabbe and Goyle. "Weasley, you weren't thinking of _wearing_ those, were you? I think they would have been popular back in the eighteen nineties-"

"Shut up, Malfoy!" Ron shouted angrily, his face the colour of the robes swinging in Draco's hand. He snatched them out of Draco's hand and stuffed them back into his trunk. Draco howled with laughter; Crabbe and Goyle guffawed stupidly. Hermione scowled behind her book and released a huff of annoyance.

"Are you going to enter Weasley? Going to try and earn some form of glory for your family? Merlin knows they need it. There's money involved as well, you might be able to actually afford a decent set of robes if you won…"

"What are you talking about Malfoy?" Ron snapped. Draco smirked.

"It's simple Weasley, are you going to enter?" he asked. "I suppose you'll enter Potter, can't resist the chance to show off, can you?"

Hermione frowned behind her book, appalled with her brother's behaviour. She grit her teeth and sent him a steely look over the top of her book.

"Either explain what you are talking about, _Malfoy_ , or go away," she said testily, her patience growing thin. She was disappointed, and worried that it was so easy for Draco to fall into the same behaviour that he favoured before they realised that they were brother and sister.

Draco stalled for a moment at his sister's stare but smirked.

"Don't tell me you don't _know_!" he said delightedly. "You've got a Father and a Brother who work in the Ministry and you don't know? Merlin, _my_ father told me about it ages ago…heard it from Cornelious Fudge himself! But then, My Father is associated with the top people at the Ministry…Maybe your father is too _junior_ to know about it, Weasley."

Hermione frowned in silent thought. She knew that had Lucius told Draco about something that was happening at Hogwarts, then she'd have known about it.

Laughing once more, Draco made sure to give his sister one last glance before beckoning to Crabbe and Goyle, and the three of them disappeared.

Ron got to his feet and slammed the compartment door with a growl. He slammed it so hard that the glass pane shattered. Hermione snapped her book shut in anger.

"Ron!" she exclaimed. She drew her wand and muttered "Reparo," and the glass shards flew back into a single pane and back into the door.

"If he mocks my family one more time…" he muttered darkly. Hermione gave him a shove and he sat down heavily, he gave her a dark look to which she glared at.

"You are better than him Ron. Better than giving ridiculous threats about him," she said reproachfully. Ron scoffed.

"Well…making it look like he knows everything and we don't…"he said. "' _Father is associated with all the top people at the Ministry'…_ Dad can get a promotion anytime he wants….he just likes it where he is."

Hermione sighed.

"Of course he does," she said quietly. "Just don't let Malfoy get to you Ron…"

Hermione felt sick and disappointed for the rest of the train journey, Ron's mood and the stormy weather did not help. Her brother's snide face and horrid words continued to replay in her mind. She knew, deep down, that he did not meet anything towards her. But she couldn't help but feel like Draco meant every word that he said to her best friends. Draco was brought up in extreme comfort, with his family name being well known with the top people at the Ministry of Magic. She was extremely proud of that, despite rumours that her Father paid for everything, Hermione knew that he had worked hard to build the right relationships in order to get to where he was. Ron, although brought up in a family that was just as loving, was brought up in a lifestyle where his parents often struggled with limited money.

She shook her head. Yes, it was wrong of her Brother to mock her friend for his family and the choices of his parents.

When they arrived at Hogsmeade station, the trio waved happily to Hagrid as the stepped onto the stormy platform.

"Hi Hagid!" Harry hollered through the wind and rain. Hagrid, their overly large but gentle friend, lifted a large hand and waved at them as he gathered the small first years together.

As she and the boys scrambled their way into a horseless carriage. Hermione swept wet curls out of her face as she leant back to catch her breath.

"I do not envy the first years crossing the lake in this weather," she said fervently, shivering as the carriage began to move towards Hogwarts. Harry lifted and arm and placed it around her shoulder in order to help her warm up, Hermione cuddled up to him gratefully.

As the carriage made its way up the uneven track away from Hogsmeade, Hermione looked out of the small open window to take a glance of the school in its splendour. The tall parapets and peaking towers of the castle never failed to impress her. It always encouraged memories of her first look upon the castle when she sailed across the Black Lake and gaped unashamedly at the grandeur that was Hogwarts. It was at that moment that she decided, for the first time, that she was finally in a place that she belonged.

Lightning flashed across the sky as their carriage came to a halt before the great oak front doors, which stood at the top of a flight of stone steps. People who had occupied the carriages in front were already hurrying up the stone steps into the castle, Hermione, Harry, Ron and Neville jumped down from their carriage and dashed up the steps too, looking up only when they were safely inside the cavernous, torch-lit entrance hall, with its magnificent marble staircase.

Hermione smiled and laughed along with her friends at they stepped out of the rain.

"Blimey," said Ron, shaking his head and sending water everywhere, "if that keeps up the lake's going to overflow. I'm bloody soak-ARRRGH!"

A large, red, water filled balloon had dropped from out of the ceiling onto Ron's head and exploded. Drenched and sputtering, Ron staggered sideways into Harry, just as a second water bomb dropped. Hermione shrieked and jumped out of the way as it narrowly missed her head, and it burst at Harry's feet, sending a wave of cold water over his trainers and into his socks.

People all around them shrieked and started to push one another in their efforts to get out of the line of fire. Hermione looked up with a frown and saw, floating twenty feet above them, Peeves the Poltergeist, a malicious little man in a bell covered hat and an orange bow tie, cackling madly as he took aim once again.

"Peeves!" yelled an angry voice. "Peeves, come down here at once!"

Professor Mcgonogall had come dashing out of the Great Hall, skidded on the wet floor and grabbed Hermione around the neck to prevent herself from falling.

"Ouch-sorry, Miss Granger-"

Hermione helped steady her favourite Professor as she massaged her throat.

"That's alright Professor," she gasped.

"Peeves, get down here now! The Headmaster will hear about this!" warned Professor McGonagall, straightening her pointed hat and glaring upwards through square rimmed glasses.

"Not doing nothing!" yelled Peeves, pulling out another red water bomb and throwing it at a group of second year girls. They screamed and leapt into the Great Hall, out of the way. "Already wet anyway, little squirts!" he called tauntingly.

"Peeves, I'm warning you…" the Professor said in a threatening tone.

Peeves stuck his tongue out, threw the last of his water bombs into the air, and zoomed off up the marble staircase.

"Well, move along then!" said Professor McGonagall sharply. "Into the Great Hall, come on!"

Hermione and her friends slipped and slid across the Entrance Hall and into the warmth of the Great Hall. She felt her magic tingle as she stepped through the wards, breathing a sigh of relief when she noticed that her hair remained brown and curly. It was a concern that the wards of Hogwarts would remove the glamour that she was wearing as it was not the same glamour that the Headmaster had placed on her.

They hurriedly took a seat at their usual house table in the far right corner, surrounded by banners of red and gold. Harry sat on her left and Ron across from them.

"I hate this part…why does it have to take so long for the first years to get here?" Ron asked in a whining tone. Harry and Hermione shared a look and rolled their eyes together.

"They have to come across the lake Ron. Plus it's pouring with rain, the poor things will be drenched," Hermione said sympathetically. Ron gave a huff and crossed his arms petulantly, casting the golden platters and goblets a scowl.

Suddenly, once everyone was sat on their House table, the doors to the Great Hall opened with a big swing and Professor McGonogall marched down the centre of the large room followed by dozens of small, damp and wide eyed first years.

Hermione watched as a particularly small blonde haired boy; who was drowning in Hagrid's overly large brown coat, wave at a bouncing Colin Creevey as he passed.

"Colin! I fell into the lake! I looked over the edge to see the Giant Squid and I fell in!" he exclaimed as he walked passed. Hermione stifled a laugh as she watched the thoroughly drowned boy follow his fellow classmates towards the stool which seated the Sorting Hat.

"Poor Sod…first night and he's already fallen into the lake," Ron said. Harry laughed and shook his head. They watched as each first year was sorted into their houses and applauded whenever a new Gryffindor joined their table. They all laughed again when Colin's brother was sorted into Gryffindor and tripped over the large coat that he was still wearing as he made his way to the table. Colin slid to the side to allow his brother to take the seat beside him.

"This is brilliant Dennis! Mum and Dad are going to be made up that you're in Gryffindor with me!" Colin exclaimed, patting his brother on the back, "Dennis look, this is Harry Potter," he said, introducing the bespectacled boy beside him. Dennis turned and offered a hand to Harry, shaking it exuberantly.

"Colin's told me all about you Harry! About how you saved him from that snake in his first year and-" Hermione interrupted by clearing her throat.

"It's not something that we really talk about anymore Dennis," she told him, uncomfortable with the discussion herself after witnessing the guilt her Father felt. Dennis nodded and quickly apologised to Harry, who gave him a reassuring smile.

The hall came to a hush as the Headmaster stood to address his students. Hermione felt resentment fill her heart as she laid eyes on the elderly yet powerful wizard. Before summer, he was a figure to be admired however following the revelation of his part in her abduction; she felt nothing but distaste for him. He was no longer all powerful and infallible in her eyes, he had faults; faults that hurt families in the name of the 'greater good'.

"Students, welcome back to another year at Hogwarts. I have very little to say at the moment other than, tuck in,"

Suddenly, the tables groaned over the weight of the platters laden with different foods. Ron groaned happily as he quickly reached for the nearest platter of chicken legs.

As she served herself a hearty portion of food, Hermione took the moment to look around the Great Hall. It was dressed in its usual splendour for the Start of Term Feast. Golden plates and goblets gleamed by the light of the hundreds and hundreds of candles, floating above the house tabled in mid-air. The four house tables were covered with chattering students, each one as excited as the next to be back at school.

She looked up to the Head table, observing their professors eat and talk quietly. She met the dark eyes of her recently found Godfather and offered him a small smile to which he nodded to discreetly. She and Professor Snape, or 'Severus' as he'd asked her to call him in private, had spoken briefly during the summer when he had once visited her parents. She learnt that Lucius and Narcissa had been great friends with the dark haired potions master, so close I fact that they had named him the Godfather for both she and her brother. Once she had gotten past the point that the nasty potions professor had once made her cry, she found that he was incredibly witty and sarcastic in a way that made her laugh.

She also noticed that the space beside her Godfather, the space usually reserved for the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor, was vacant. She nudged Harry who was sat beside her and nodded to the head table.

"There's no DADA professor," she said. Harry's dark brows rose behind his fringe as he scanned the Head Table. They had yet to have a defence professor that had stayed at the school for longer than a year. She sighed nostalgically as she thought of their last DADA professor, Professor Lupin.

Before Sirius had left the country, she had asked him if he knew how his old friend was. Sirius smiled sadly and explained to her, "Remus is probably kicking himself for forgetting that it was the full moon and possibly putting you kids in danger. He's always hated having lycanthopy, he never felt normal. The only time he did, was when James, Wormtail and I became animagi to assist him with his transformations. I imagine these last twelve years have been extremely difficult for him."

"Ahh….'at's be'er," said Ron with a mouth full of mashed potato and chicken. Hermione grimaced distastefully and turned to the recently appeared Nearly Headless Nick. She smiled politely.

"Good evening Sir Nicholas," she said quietly. Nick tipped his overly large hat to her, almost dangerously knocking his head from his translucent shoulders.

"A wonderful evening to you Miss Granger. And of course, to our very own Mr Potter and Mr Weasley." He watched as both boys wolfed down their food, "You are indeed lucky to have a feast this fine evening."

Harry looked at him, "Why, Wha' 'appened?" he asked, through a sizeable chunk of steak pie.

"Peeves, of course," said Nick, shaking his head which wobbled dangerously. He pulled his ruff a little higher up his neck. "The usual argument, you know. He wanted to attend the feast – well, it's quite out the question, you know what he's like, completely uncivilized, can't see a plate of food without throwing it. We held a ghosts council – The Fat Friar was all for giving him another chance – but most wisely, in my opinion, the Bloody Baron put his foot down."

Hermione nodded, the Bloody Baron was the Slytherin Ghost, a gaunt and silent spectre covered in silver bloodstains. He was the only person at Hogwarts who could really control Peeves.

"We thought Peeves seemed pisse-" Hermione shot him a dark look of warning, "-uh…hacked off about something," he amended his sentence at her look. "So what did he do in the kitchens?"

"Oh the usual," said Nick, shrugging. "Wreaked havoc and mayhem. Pots and pans everywhere. Place swimming in soup. Terrified the House Elves out of their wits-"

Harry choked on the potato that he was eating and he looked at Nick with wide eyes.

"There are House Elves here? At Hogwarts?" he asked. Ron smirked at Hermione.

"Hermione's going to kick off now!" he exclaimed. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"I'm not against the use of House Elves. I just don't like it when they are abused," she explained. She inwardly cringed. Before getting to know her family and seeing how Tinker was treated at home, she may have been completely against Hogwarts having House Elves. She remembered her first reaction to seeing Tinker and smiled fondly.

"Oh rest assured Miss Ganger," said Nick comfortingly. "The House Elves here at Hogwarts are very happy. The Headmaster ensures that they are well taken care of."

Once the desserts had been served, and each and every person was fit to busting, the Headmaster stood once more to address his students.

"So!" said Dumbledore, smiling around at them all. "Now that we are all fed and watered, I must ask once more for your attention, while I give out a few notices. Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirtyseven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it." The corners of Dumbledore's mouth twitched. He continued, ""As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year. It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

"What!" Harry gasped. Hermione had to check herself to make sure that she didn't roll her eyes. Along with her fear for flying came her dislike of Quidditch. She distantly remembered, as a child, her Father attempting to get her interested in one of his favourite sports – Football. She had started at him blankly as his attempted to engage her In a conversation regarding the sport, and watched as his failed miserably. Her Mum, she remembered, just smirked and patted her adopted daughter atop her curly head.

"She has brains love. She sees little point in grown men kicking a daft black and white ball around as I do," Anne told her husband.

She looked over at her brother and giggled quietly to herself, he was mouthing soundlessly at Dumbledore, apparently too appalled to speak. She did roll her eyes at that; no matter how much Draco pretended to be just like their Father, he was still a boy who played Quidditch at heart.

Dumbledore went on, "This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy — but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts —"

But at that moment, there was a deafening rumble of thunder and the doors of the Great Hall slammed open. A man stood in the doorway, leaning on a long staff, shrouded in a black traveling cloak. Every head in the Great Hall turned towards the stranger, suddenly brightly illuminated by a fork of lightning that flashed across the ceiling. He lowered his hood, shook out a long mane of long, dark grey hair, and then began to walk up toward the teachers' table.

A dull thud accompanied each step her took, which lead Hermione to notice that one of his legs was no longer a human leg, but in stead replaced with a wooden leg. He reached the end of the top table, turned right, and limped heavily towards Dumbledore. Another flash of lightening crossed the ceiling and illuminated his face. Hermione gasped in horror.

The lightning had thrown the man's face into sharp relief, and it was a face unlike any Hermione had ever seen. It looked as though it had been carved out of weathered wood by someone who had only the vaguest idea of what human faces are supposed to look like, and was none too skilled with a chisel. Every inch of skin seemed to be scarred. The mouth looked like a diagonal gash, and a large chunk of the nose was missing.

But it was the man's eyes that made him frightening. One of them was small, dark, and beady. The other was large, round as a coin, and a vivid, electric blue. The blue eye was moving ceaselessly, without blinking, and was rolling up, down, and from side to side, quite independently of the normal eye — and then it rolled right over, pointing into the back of the man's head, so that all they could see was whiteness.

The stramger reached Dumbledore, and stretched out a hand that was as badly scarred as his face. Dumbledore shook it, muttering words Hermione couldn't hear. He seemed to be asking the stranger a question, nodding in satisfaction as he received an answer. He gestured for the man to sit at the empty seat on his right hand side, beside the Potions Master (who looked none too pleased).

"May I introduce our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," said Dumbledore brightly into the silence. "Professor Moody."

It was usual for new staff members to be greeted with applause, but none of the staff or students clapped except Dumbledore and Hagrid, who both put their hands together and applauded, but the sound echoed dismally into the silence, and they stopped fairly quickly. Everyone else seemed too transfixed by Moody's bizarre appearance to do more than stare at him.

"Moody?" Harry muttered to Ron across the table. "As In Mad-Eye Moody? The one your dad went t help this morning?" he asked. Hermione gave Harry a questioning glance, ready to ask the story of what happened when Dumbledore began to speak once more.

"As I was saying," he said, smiling at the sea of students before him, all of whom were still gazing transfixed at Mad-Eye Moody, "we are to have the honour of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

"You're joking!" Fred Weasley shouted, breaking the nervous tension that had settled around the Great Hall; causing generous bursts of laughter from several students. Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively.

"No Mr Weasley, I am not joking," he told them. ""The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities — until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued."

" _Death toll_ ," Hermione whispered, horrified. Harry and Ron shared a grim expression.

"As such, it has come to the agreement of the Ministry and of the three schools, that there will be an age limit for those who wish to enter the Tournament. Those, who are under the age of 17, will be unable to enter the Tournament-" a chorus of boos and yells of outrage drowned out the Headmaster's words.

"That's rubbish!" she heard George shout over the din. Hermione bit her lip and kept quiet, she completely agreed with the ruling. The last thing that Hogwarts needed was a young underage witch or wizard passing away tragically. She gave a pointed look to her best friend who actually looked relieved. Ron shook his head.

"Shame that is, even I'd have given it a shot," he said. Hermione scoffed.

"The rules are in place for a reason Ron. Could you really imagine yourself competing against more competent and skilled students?" she asked with a scowl. Ron frowned.

"Merlin Hermione, you even sounded like Malfoy then!" he exclaimed. Hermione paused and gave him a darker scowl before turning her attention back to the Headmaster.

"Thank you for your feedback again, Mr Weasley. Rules are rules and I expect each and every one of you to adhere to them as I have instructed. They are in place to keep you safe and away from harm."

"The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop!"

Dumbledore sat down again and turned to talk to Mad-Eye Moody. There was a great scraping and banging as all the students got to their feet and swarmed toward the double doors into the entrance hall.

Hermione bit her lip as she stood along with her housemates. She looked carefully up to the head table and eyed their new Defence Professor critically; His dark coloured, human eye was kept intently on the Headmaster as they spoke. His larger, blue coloured magical eye flicked around the Great Hall. She frowned when she noticed that it rested intensely on her best friend beside her.

She frowned and shook her head, ignoring the probing gaze of their new Professor for the calling welcome of her dormitory bed.

The following morning the storm from the night before had blown its self out, though the ceiling in the Great Hall was still gloomy; clouds of pewter grey swirled overhead as Hermione examined her new class schedule.

"Why?" Ron asked with a scowl, slapping his schedule onto the table. Hermione grimaced automatically as she spotted the source of his displeasure.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins this morning!" he exclaimed. "Followed by Divination!"

Harry sighed and shrugged, "at least we have Defence this afternoon," he said to his friend. Ron's eyes perked up in excitement.

"Dad said that Moody used to one of the best Aurors on the squad back in the day," he said. Harry frowned.

"Auror?" he asked. Ron nodded.

"Dark Wizard catchers," he explained.

"Like policemen Harry," Hermione supplied a comparison for him. Harry nodded in understanding and looked impressed. Hermione sighed.

"It'll be good to see what he can teach us," she said, "as long as he doesn't hold up to his reputation." Ron scoffed.

"Hermione, Moody just has the name 'Mad Eye Moody' because he was good at his job. When other Aurors gave in he jumped in the thick of it and made sure the job was done!" he exclaimed. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Yes, and he lost his half his face and a leg for his trouble!" she snapped. She held a hand up before the red headed boy could argue. "Look, he can be your little superhero along with Victor Krum. I just want to make sure I pass my Defence exam at the end of the year without being killed because of a paranoid ex Auror," she pursed her lips stubbornly as Harry and Ron shared a look of amusement.

She brushed the crumbs from her breakfast and stood quickly, pulling the strap of her school bag over her shoulder. She and the boys followed the rest of their house mates out of the Great Hall and descended the steps down to the dungeons.

She took a quick glance over her shoulder as she fell to the back of the group, meeting the gaze of her brother. His grey gaze, usually full of steel, met her disguised brown eyes and he rolled his eyes in an amused fashion; pointing his gaze at the overly chatty dark haired Pansy Parkinson beside him. Hermione coughed to cover her snigger as she turned away, grinning to herself at her brother's antics.

Hermione took a deep breath as she prepared herself for the berating that was expected to come from her Potions Professor. Although he was her Godfather, he has explained that in no certain terms was their behaviour towards each other supposed to change.

Out the corner of her eye, she spotted the familiar foreboding presence of her Godfather, bent of the bubbling and hissing potion of Dean Thomas'. He usual drawl cut through the atmosphere like a knife and it took all she had to keep her shoulders steady and her head down. He passed her table with a quick look of disdain into her cauldron. She looked up slowly, meeting his dark eyes. His dark hair hung down on either side of his face, sheltering his face from view.

Her eyes flicked across his pale face hesitantly and she was surprised to find a small upturn of his lips as he looked down into her cauldron. His eyes met hers once more and he offered a discreet, hardly seen nod of approval. Her stomach curled in happiness and surprise. His face then suddenly changed, as though a mask was slid across his features. His lips twisted into a scowl and he frowned.

"Average, as usual Miss Granger. I suppose you are again taking every opportunity to show off this year," he snapped at her in his usual fashion. "If you insist on continuing this way then I must insist you stay behind after class."

Hermione kicked her dark haired friend under the table as she spotted him open his mouth in her defence. He snapped his mouth shut and he frowned at her. Hermione ignored him and nodded mutely at her Professor, lowering her gaze back to her cauldron.

As the bell rang to signal the end of the class, Hermione carefully ladled her completed potion into a small vile and labelled it with her name. She then quickly cleaned off her desk and copied the homework assignment onto her notes before slipping them into her bag.

"Do you want us to wait for you?" Ron asked quietly as he gave a dark look to the Professor. Hermione gave him a smile and shook her head.

"No, you two have Divination next. You've got to get to the North Tower so you better go," she told them reassuringly. Harry and Ron shared another look before giving her a look of apology and following the rest of the students from the room. Draco, who'd took his time packing away his notes, turned as the door closed.

"I honestly believe that my Shrinking Solution was better than yours this morning 'Rora," he said with his trademark smirk. Before she could answer Severus cleared his throat.

"If you truly believe that Draco then you are very much lacking in the intelligence that I know you should hold," he said quietly, sifting through the parchment on his desk.

Hermione grinned and shook her head, stepping over to her brother to wrap her arms around him in a tight squeeze. She revelled in the swirl of her magic as he held her; she felt his chuckle against her cheek.

"Miss me already 'Rora?" he asked quietly. She nodded against his chest and pulled away to give him a smile. She looked round his shoulder at their Godfather.

"You asked to see me?" she asked him. Severus looked up from his desk and sighed softly, nodding towards the desk on the front row. Hermione took a seat, followed closely by her brother.

"We did not get much of a chance to speak over the summer, what with your _double life_ ," he said. Hermione smiled and Draco took her hand in his. Severus rolled his eyes. "Yes, well I wanted to take this opportunity to…get to know you, this year. I've had thirteen years of putting up with the hairball; known as your brother, and I always preferred you as a child. You may possibly be easier for me to get on with."

"Excuse me!" Draco exclaimed. "I've been an excellent Godson!"

Severus eyed him with an unreadable expression before turning his gaze back to his Goddaughter.

"That remains to be seen," he said. Ignoring Draco's cry of outrage, Severus continued. "It may have also come to my attention, particularly after the events of the last three years; that if you insist of staying at Potter's side during his…adventures, I will insist that you learn to correctly defend yourself."

Hermione's eyebrows rose in surprise but she smiled warmly at her Godfather.

"Thank you Severus," she said quietly. He nodded and gave her the smallest of smiles.

"I am sure you can both take this opportunity to…do whatever it is siblings do. I am sure it will be as sickening as the display you have both just given me, but I'll do my best to endure it as your Godfather," he said.

Hermione and Draco shared a look and rolled their eyes. Hermione bit her lip.

"There was something I've actually wanted to bring up to you," she said to her brother quietly. Draco's smile dropped at her worried expression. Hermione took a deep breath.

"What happened on the train? I thought we'd agreed not to go out of our way to antagonise each other and our friends?" she asked him. Draco frowned and sighed.

"I don't know," he whispered.

"Draco…" Hermione said warningly. Draco growled in frustration and ran a hand through his blonde hair.

"It…wasn't _supposed_ to happen. I sat in the compartment beside yours as I wanted to stay close to you. When I heard Weasley and Potter's voice it just…all came back to me. It's unfair that they get to be so close to you, to comfort you and to help you when I cannot! That's my job, as your brother!" he exclaimed. "I had planned to ignore you all, like we agreed but-"

"You need to refrain yourself Draco," Hermione interrupted. "In the short amount of time that we have been brother and sister I have seen a completely different side to you, that's the boy who I am starting to have a bond with."

Draco sighed and dropped his gaze, his face full of a shameful expression. Hermione frowned and took his hand in hers again.

"I am not asking you to change Draco, otherwise you wouldn't be who you are. All I am asking is you _try_ and ignore my friends. Even if we can't behave as brother and sister in public, I only want you to be the best I know you can be," she told him.

Draco gave a small smile and shrugged.

"I'll try Aurora," he said. "If Weasley starts to open his mouth, then I can't promise anything though," he told her with a smile. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Then you need to act like Uncle Severus and pretend like he doesn't bother you," she said with a playful smile towards their Godfather.

Severus scoffed.

"One only needs to be around Weasley to be bothered by him. I cannot even promise to hold back should he upset you again this year Hermione," he said sharply. Draco's eyes narrowed at his comment.

"What was that supposed to mean?" he asked. Hermione glared at her Godfather.

"Nothing," she told him reassuringly. "I can handle Ron. You just try and keep away from them."

Draco nodded with a look of suspicion.

"Yes, ok all I can do is try," he said. Hermione released her held breath and nodded.

"That's all I ask."

* * *

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